Heavy/Getty/ABC Luke Bryan, Katy Perry
Weeks before her final night on “American Idol,” pop star Katy Perry predicted she’d go out with a bang and “finally” drink heavily after the season finale with her pal and fellow judge Luke Bryan.
“I’m gonna stay present and take it all in and then have a little after-party, and Luke and I will finally drink,” she told Entertainment Tonight, “After seven years, we’ll really drink.”
But nearly a month after the finale on May 19, 2024 — during which Abi Carter was named the winner — Bryan revealed that the send-off for Perry was far less wild than many expected, revealing that instead of a huge party, it was a “really emotional” dinner party. And now that it’s over, he’s looking forward to finding out who will sit between him and Lionel Richie next season.
Luke Bryan Says Katy Perry’s Farewell Dinner Was ‘Perfect’ Way to Say Goodbye
Heavy/ABCKaty Perry changed before conducting post-show interviews and heading to her farewell dinner on May 19, 2024.
In between Bryan’s Nashville appearances at CMA Fest, held from June 6 – 9, GMA caught up with the star to ask how Perry’s farewell party turned out. In comments published on June 11, he told the outlet it was not nearly as crazy as people expected — but it was very emotional.
“Everybody thinks we’re gonna go out and stand on barstools and spray champagne over everybody, but we just had a chill dinner,” Bryan said.
According to InStyle, the dinner was held at Catch, a West Hollywood restaurant that specializes in seafood, sushi and steak. Perry was joined by Bryan, Richie, his longtime girlfriend Lisa Parigi, host Ryan Seacrest, Perry’s parents and her fiancé, actor Orlando Bloom, according to Just Jared.
During the season finale, Perry donned a couture golden corset with seven sculpted roses on the show, as well as a dress featuring the faces of finalists over the last seven seasons, but she had another wardrobe change before dinner.
The pop star, who’s expected to release new music and go on tour now that she’s left “Idol,” conducted post-show interviews in a sheer, nude corset paired with matching, mesh skirt encrusted with gold sequins. Photographers captured her in the same outfit, as seen in InStyle, as she and Bloom left Catch after the party.
“We got to toast Katy and we got to say some really amazing things to her,” Bryan told GMA of the dinner. “And it was really emotional and (there was) a lot of love in the room. It was a perfect way to wrap the season and to wrap, certainly, Katy’s tenure with us, and it was really special.”
Luke Bryan Reveals What He Wants in a New ‘Idol’ Judge
Getty“American Idol” judge Luke Bryan in April 2024
Now that Perry’s time on “Idol” is over — at least for now, given that she asked the cast in April to “keep my seat warm” — Bryan is as eager as everyone else to find out who will take her place.
When GMA asked him what a good replacement will need to bring to the table, he joked that the new judge will need to “tolerate me and Lionel, first and foremost.”
He later added, “Whoever you are, just be on time.”
Bryan told E! News on June 7 that he’s heard two stars producers have talked about as potential replacements are Pink and Miley Cyrus.
“I’ll support her or whoever all the people at ABC decide to go with,” he told the outlet. “And it’ll be exciting to see who they decide to fill Katy’s seat.”
Though ABC hasn’t officially announced that Bryan will be back for his eighth season, the singer — who’s touring all summer with opening acts including “American Idol” alums HunterGirl and Chayce Beckham — has intimated in interviews that he will, indeed, be back to judge auditions in the fall.
In a May chat with his record label, UMG Nashville, he said, “I kind of treat ‘American Idol’ like I do my music career. As long as the show feels like the show is reinventing itself and as long as it looks fresh and fun and I know we’re really doing positive things, it’s gonna always be something that I really consider doing.”