Not the dream of his youth. Adriel Carrion, a former contestant on American Idol, thought back on a tense exchange he had with judge Katy Perry that has stuck with him to this day.
The competitor from season 19 just posted footage from his stint on the program on TikTok. He was 18 when he applied for the singing competition.
The caption stated, “SHE IS IN MY NIGHTMARES 😂🫶🏼🍉 NOW!!”.
Carrion and another competitor Anthony Guzman were seen in the video getting ready to start a duet during the Hollywood round.
At the judges’ table, 38-year-old Perry said, “We have officially prohibited everyone from performing ‘Watermelon Sugar,'” alluding to the popular Harry Styles song.
Guzman said, “We’re going to do something delicious for you,” when Lionel Richie inquired about the duo’s performance.
Not “Watermelon Sugar,” Perry corrected with a straight face.
The two vocalists were caught in the pan as they both fought to hide their dismay. I’m not going to have any more “Watermelon Sugar.” Guzman lined up the band as Perry made a joke. Do you mean ‘Watermelon Sugar’?
Carrion displayed his present response as the clip came to a conclusion. He made light of the fact that three years had passed and he was still disturbed by the event. All I hear in my nightmare while trying to get some beauty sleep is “Not Watermelon Sugar.”
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Carrion was removed from the competition before the Top 20 and his original audition wasn’t shown during the 2021 season.
The “Dark Horse” singer joined the reality series’ judging panel in 2018 when it was in its 16th season and moving from Fox to ABC. She assesses aspiring musicians alongside Luke Bryan and Richie, 73.
When she and the other judges got ready for their debut season, the pop diva said to Us Weekly, “I don’t think any of us believe in being mean.” “I feel that what we believe in is being constructive and offering constructive criticism because it doesn’t help anyone and people are incredibly sensitive and we understand because we’ve all walked into a room like that at one point in our life,” says the author.
At the time, Richie observed: “I’m going to replace “nasty” with “brutally honest,” I believe. I believe that being rude simply suggests that we intend to harm someone.”
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The “We Are the World” singer and the country crooner even gave Perry advice when she and Orlando Bloom welcomed daughter Daisy in August 2020, demonstrating how close the three have become over time. Six months before Daisy was born, she spoke exclusively to Us and said, “Oh, my my, I’m certainly receiving a [parenting] education.” “In particular, when Lionel switches from being endearing Lionel to, say, laying it down Lionel! I am, therefore, receiving a true education.”