“American Idol” fans are scrutinizing Katy Perry, 38, for the way she treated contestant Sara Beth Liebe, a happy-go-lucky 25-year-old mother of three, on Sunday’s episode of the singing competition singing.
The red-headed, quirky California native openly admitted that she’s not much of a musician except in her church choir and on karaoke nights.
Perry, who made an off-color remark about being such a young three-time mom, loudly interjected, “Is that this your dream?”
“Um,” the seemingly already nervous Liebe muttered.
“If it’s not your dream, you would possibly need to go away because there’s a number of dreams behind you,” Perry said.
A flustered Liebe revealed that she was “still processing” being away from her kids to face in front of Perry, in addition to fellow judges Lionel Richie, 73, and Luke Bryan, 46, because the “Teenage Dream” singer nudged her to perform a song.
“Freak us out, Freaky Friday,” Perry said.
Liebe first sang Amy Winehouse’s “You Know I’m No Good” as an unimpressed Perry interrupted, “Come on, we want more,” as Liebe continued.
“That’s not enough,” Perry determined on the song’s end. “Try ‘Bennie and the Jets,’” she instructed, claiming Liebe had nothing to lose since it’s “not her dream yet.”
Perry then urged her to “show us what your voice can do, take it to the limit, no looking’ back.
“Sing it prefer it’s your latest dream,” she added.
The contestant took Perry’s advice and pushed her voice to its wailing limits during her rendition of the Elton John classic — apparently impressing Perry, who continued shouting demands through the second song.
“More of that! Hold it out,” Perry instructed.
All three judges clapped for Liebe’s second try, although she said that she felt like she was going to pass out from following Perry’s recommendations.
“Accidental American Idol,” Perry nicknamed Liebe.
“I feel like a comic book strip character just got here to life,” Perry said after Sara Beth was done, with Bryan expressing his “love” for her performance.
“Look, if it’s not your dream, it’s not gonna go far because I also respect everyone that’s walking through that door who will lay down their life for this golden ticket [to Hollywood],” Perry added about other hopefuls advancing to the subsequent round of competition.
Ultimately, Bryan and Perry voted for Liebe to maneuver on to the subsequent round, while Richie “went together with his gut” and voted against her because he didn’t think she took the competition seriously.
“Sara Beth, you’re within the dream now. Go get your golden ticket,” Perry dismissed Liebe. “Hurry before the dream ends!”
The Post has contacted a rep for Perry for comment.
“Boo to Katy Perry for mom shaming Sara Beth. Insinuating that she has been ‘laying on the table an excessive amount of’ to have 3 kids by age 25. A young mother following a dream while raising her children ought to be raised up not put down,” one person tweeted.
“Truly, @katyperry has proven she doesn’t care about all women,” one other claimed.
“I actually don’t like how Katy Perry just treated Sara Beth on #AmericanIdol,” one tweeter said. “I don’t watch this show in any respect and my television was already on the channel but what I witnessed was not right. They let Katy Perry bully this woman on live national television before she even began singing. So ugly.”
“Among the things Katy perry says to the feminine contestants is [mind-blowing emojis],” one other fan noticed.
Last week, Perry broke down in tears after a survivor of the 2018 mass shooting at Santa Fe High School auditioned with an emotional performance of “Stone” by Whiskey Myers.
“Our country has f–king failed us!” Perry shouted. “This isn’t OK!”
“American Idol” airs Sundays at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.
