Katy Perry Experiences Wardrobe Mishap When Top Breaks on Live 'American Idol' Episode

During a live episode of American Idol's 22 season, Katy Perry nearly offered viewers an unintended spectacle when her top unexpectedly unfastened. After the Monday, April 15 taping, the singer took to social media to share an amusing peek at the events that unfolded backstage.

In her social media post, composed on X, Katy, who was 39 at the time, exclaimed, "My top broke are you watching," accompanying her message with a snapshot of three individuals attempting to fasten her outfit. Subsequently, Katy posted another picture where she can be seen clutching a pillow to her chest, amusingly stating, "Broke again."

In a subsequent video, Katy delved further into the incident. The “Roar” singer can be heard expressing her need for her top to stay in place and bluntly remarking, “If it’s not fixed, this show is gonna get more than it wanted.”

The video post on social media was captioned, "Broke again. #idol."

Upon noticing the situation, fellow judge Luke Bryan swiped a tool and sprang up to assist Katy, assuring her, “I got this.” That confidence, however, quickly faded when he inspected Katy's complex top, causing him to retract, “Never mind,” decided the country music star, who was 47.

In a follow-up social media video shared by Katy, she included clips from the show where she can be seen holding up her shirt after a contestant's act. Commenting on the incident, she joked, “That song broke my top off!” as she lowered herself out of sight behind the judges’ desk. This comical situation had Bryan joking about a potential ratings boost, with Lionel Richie joining in, adding, “I love ratings.”

Prior to this incident, Katy had had another wardrobe mishap during the April 1 episode of American Idol. She explained on social media that she had trouble getting out of an overly snug dress she was wearing, to which someone suggested cutting it off. To that suggestion, Katy promptly responded, “You can’t just cut Bottega!”

Katy repeated the phrase in her caption and added a humorous note, “We’ve been cutting kids on #idol but you can’t cut Bottega.”

After having served as a judge on American Idol for seven seasons, Katy announced earlier in the year that she’d be stepping back from the show once the 22nd season concludes. Expressing her love for the show, she also mentioned her desire to explore the world and perhaps produce new music. She left open the possibility of returning to the show one day, adding, “Maybe I’ll come back if they’ll have me one day.”

As for the future plans of Bryan and Lionel, who is 74, no announcements have been made as yet. Season 22 is set to wrap up with a finale episode on May 19.