Katy Perry stormed off during Sunday’s episode of “American Idol” after her fellow judges refused to give the 15-year-old granddaughter of Aretha Franklin a chance to move forward in the competition.
Grace Franklin from Detroit, Michigan, told the “American Idol” crew that she and her superstar grandmother were “really close” and that she “got to see her all the time, I used to travel with her a lot,” before performing for judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Perry, according to Entertainment Tonight
Richie followed up with his personal stories of Aretha Franklin, saying that she used to make collard greens for him when he went to visit, according to video of the audition posted to Twitter. “You are from a blessed family.” Richie continued. (RELATED: Claudia Conway Eliminated From ‘American Idol’ After Hollywood Week Duet)
“I don’t think I could fully grasp the fact that she was known worldwide, because to me she was always just ‘Grandma,'” Grace said during a show interview, according Entertainment Tonight. “I feel people expect me to sing exactly like her, but I am my own artist and I have my own voice.”
Grace sang a rendition of “Killing Me Softly” for the judges, to which Bryan and Richie said they felt she wasn’t ready to move on to the next stage of the audition process, according to CNN. Perry asked Grace to sing “Ain’t No Way,” after feeling that her first song was too “soft,” according to the full audition video.
“Grace Franklin, I love you and I think the best thing for you in life is to take a shot at going backwards,” Richie told the singer. “Go back and get a running start and come at this again.”
Perry responded to Richie’s comments by staring him down. “Listen, she’s got stardust, give her a shot, give her a chance,” Perry said. “I’m sure Aretha wasn’t Aretha when she walked into the room, but somebody said, ‘Yes, I want to work with you, I want to develop you, you’ve got something.’ She’s got stardust on her,” Perry continued.
Richie would not bow down to Perry’s pressure, causing the pop superstar to walk off set, saying, “I will lay down on the ground. I quit this show. I’m going to the bar! Something wrong with your ears. Y’all are insane!”
Richie concluded the audition by hugging Grace and telling her he didn’t “want this to be a crash and burn.” He wrapped up by telling the young singer to come back and see the judges after she had “put the work in.”