Luke Bryan Defends Katy Perry from 'American Idol' Backlash: She 'Gets Picked on for Going Out and Trying to Have Fun'

Luke Bryan said he and his fellow Idol judges "get set up" to "fall on the sword a lot of times" when they're forced to be critical of contestants

After an American Idol season filled with highs and lows for judge Katy Perry, her fellow judge Luke Bryan is coming to her defense.

The "Dark Horse" singer has been a judge since the show’s revival in 2018 — but during the most recent season, she sparked backlash among fans for various comments she made to contestants, at one point even drawing boos.

In a recent interview with Fox News, Bryan praised Perry, who he said is used to shaking off negative attention.

"Katy Perry's been dealing with stuff like that her whole career," he said. "We all get it… I mean, we're judging kids that people at home fall in love with. We're not gonna bat 1,000 as judges."

The country star, 46, said he believes he and Perry, 38, as well as fellow judge Lionel Richie, are often put in a tough position, as it falls to them to be critical of contestants that viewers adore.

"I think we get set up. As judges, you know, we kinda fall on the sword a lot of times," he said. "And get set up to where people can get very vocal on socials and stuff. My thing is, I think when me and Lionel and Katy sit down at the desk, in our hearts, we’re doing the best we can."

Perry was the subject of some heat from viewers this season, which began during auditions, when she joked that contestant Sara Beth Liebe — a mother of three children — had been "laying on the table too much."

Liebe went on to accuse Perry of "mom-shaming" in a TikTok video, and later quit the competition, though the "Firework" singer tried to convince her to stay. Liebe later expressed gratitude toward the show and toward Perry, implying that the two were on good terms.

Related: 'American Idol' Contestant Oliver Steele Defends Katy Perry Against Backlash: She's 'Not a Bully'

Then, Perry was booed during an episode of Idol after she told contestant Nutsa Buzaladze to wear less glitter on stage, and also was criticized for not providing feedback to contestant Wé Ani.

Bryan continued to defend Perry in his interview with Fox News, saying the backlash is unwarranted.

“Katy gets picked on for going out and trying to have fun making a TV show,” he said. "You can't be so safe in the moment that you're so homogenized, you can't ever go for a joke. Or go for a fun moment. Sometimes you just gotta say stuff. It may be my year next year."

He continued: "It makes me appreciate her even more, just how big of a scale she's had to deal with that her whole career."

Despite his gripes with fan treatment toward Perry, the "Country On" singer had only positive things to say about Idol, saying it would be "a tough show" for the panel "to walk away from."

"We feel like we’re doing beautiful work as a whole, and we felt like this year was what we had all worked together to get to," he said, adding that he will remain a judge as long as "the vibe feels like we’re onward and upward."

Related: Katy Perry Gets Booed on 'American Idol' for the First Time After Criticizing Contestant's Performance

Perry was recently defended on Instagram by season 21 contestant Oliver Steele, who adamantly denied bullying claims against the star.

“Katy is not a bully, nor does she shame people,” he wrote. "Katy has an incredible ability to not just tell what emotional state you’re in, but to be able to tell what’s holding you back. I love all the judges, but Katy always seemed to be able to look into my soul and tell exactly what was troubling me, or what it was I was struggling with."

Steele continued, "It’s one thing to teach someone to believe in their ability, which the judges are fabulous at. Katy reminded me to believe in who I am as an artist. She challenged me to push myself, to take on challenges that made me uncomfortable."

He expressed feeling like "a better musician and artist after Katy Perry pushed me to believe in my potential, and to exceed my expectations."

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