Katy Perry experienced a shocking wardrobe malfunction live during American Idol on Monday night (April 15) and co-judge Luke Bryan was quick to her rescue! The “Firework” songstress donned a fabulous silver-plated crop top that, despite its sturdy structure, did not hold up for the entirety of the show.
The “custom Kate Barton silver metallic top” (per Entertainment Tonight) was no match for contestant Roman Collins' performance of James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World." Perry clapped for the standout after an unforgettable performance, causing the back of the metal top to snap.
“If it’s not fixed this show is going to get more than it wanted,” Perry exclaimed as Idol crew members attempted to fasten the top. Fellow judges Lionel Riche and Luke Bryan chimed in joking: “Ratings! Ratings! Here we come ratings!”
The “California Gurls” icon shared video footage from the incident on Instagram that depicted Bryan “going in” with pliers to try to salvage the top as Perry held a pillow to her chest because American Idol is a “family show.”
Entertainment Tonight’s Denny Directo spoke with each judge after the show to get more information about the wardrobe malfunction as part of an exclusive interview.
"Tonight, her top flies off, almost flies off,” Bryan relayed. “At this point in the game, I'm like, 'What do you need? What do you need? You need a pair of pliers? You need a towel? A bathrobe? What do you need?'" Bryan seemed to paint himself as a ready-to-rescue hero, but Richie told the story a little differently.
"Luke knocked the top off, I'll tell you all the truth. And then Luke spent the rest of the time going, 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry.' But he was definitely apologetic and then he tried to put it back together and that looked worse than the whole thing." Perry herself commented on the incident, referring to it as a “moment for television.”
"It wasn't really a malfunction. It was just a moment for television. Every season it seems I rip my pants…. I think it's the physical comedy, the physical expression side of me that just wants to burst at the seams."
Fans can catch the next episode of American Idol this Sunday (April 21) live on ABC at 8:00 p.m. ET.