Katy Perry showed off an impressive hidden talent on Sunday’s episode of American Idol with some old-school breakdancing.
The 34-year-old judge already had pretended to audition for the show, singing Frank Sinatra’s New York, New York, with a sexy shake of her behind.
During auditions where the judges felt they had found ‘the next Kelly Clarkson,’ Katy further stole the show by taking over as one contestant sang a gospel song – and allowing another to lasso her.
Show audition: Katy Perry pretended to audition during Sunday’s episode of American Idol on ABC
But Katy’s most dazzling performance came as Jake Puliti, 20, sang an acoustic version of Montell Jordan’s funky classic This is How We Do It.
Fellow judge Luke Bryan, 42, led the way, pretending to ‘drunken’ dance after Katy said the song was ‘when all the drunk people get on the dancefloor.’
Katy – wearing a T-shirt dedicated to fellow judge Lionel Richie – then stood as soon as Jake started singing, swinging her arms for the Backpack Kid dance first made famous when he supported her on Saturday Night Live.
She then went right own in front of the contestant who somehow managed to keep a straight face as she started spinning on her butt – then flipping on her front for the worm before ending with a Running Man dance.
Breakdancing skills: The 34-year-old pop star also showed her breakdancing skills during the season 17 episode
Taking over: The Firework singer stole the show as auditions continued
Dance song: Jake Puliti, 20, sang an acoustic version of Montell Jordan’s funky classic This is How We Do It
Good sport: The contestant managed to keep a straight face as Katy danced in front of him
‘That was spectacular,’ Jake told the star, flipping roles by critiquing the judge. ‘That was probably the best worm I have ever seen.’
‘That’s how you get a golden ticket, friend’ Katy told him, having admitted she ‘blew the button out on my pants.’
‘But I’m always breaking something,’ she said, smiling as she added after a pause: ‘Records.’
Dancing shoes: Katy couldn’t help herself and started dancing as Jake performed
Floor dance: The singer spun around on the floor while breakdancing
She then told him: ‘Jake, you were great and that’s why I felt the freedom to be my true self on that dancefloor. You were really good – that tone is amazing. You can really sing!’
‘And you can really dance,’ he replied, with a little hinting from Katy.
After getting three yes votes, Jake gushed: ‘I made Katy Perry do the worm. That is insane!’
Yes votes: Jake after getting Katy to dance earned a ticket to Hollywood
It was far from the only time Katy stole much of the spotlight on season seventeen’s third night of auditions.
When Drake McCain, 17, sang the gospel tune His Eye Is On The Sparrow, Katy started singing a verse ahead of him, continuing with harmonies – and then even completely taking over with Oh Happy Day.
Drake, who bags groceries at a Piggly Wiggly, was supported by his huge family of eight sisters and two brothers where ‘none of the dads are in the picture.’
He was sent through after Katy punned on his job: ‘You just bagged a trip to Hollywood.’
Grocery store: Drake McCain sang the gospel tune His Eye Is On The Sparrow
Teen talent: The 17-year-old singer was joined by Katy as they sang gospel songs together
Katy was hooked on 15-year-old Austin Michael Robinson from the off, calling him ‘a country Justin Bieber’ and ‘the Leonardo DiCaprio of country music.’
He then made an unexpected impression as he twirled his hips so suggestively Katy said: ‘I’m not allowed to look!’
‘My own move even gets me,’ Luke said of the steps the teen was copying from him.
Country singer: Austin Michael Robinson was called a ‘country Justin Bieber’ by Katy
Rope trick: The Texas singer brought out his rope to lasso Katy
‘I sold a lot of tickets doing that, Katy,’ Luke insisted.
The I Kissed A Girl singer was soon hooked in a literal sense, too – when Austin came back swinging a lasso.
Luke hitched him up on his shoulders, with Austin finally lassoing Katy, who told him: ‘I’ll see you in Hollywood, Justin Bieber of the country world.’
Nice try: Luke tried to lasso the pop star after his successful audition
She had actually given him a no, saying the youngster needed to ‘slow-cook,’ adding: ‘You need to get smoked like a good whiskey.’
Austin – whose family drove 30 hours to get there – got through with yeses from Lionel and Luke, with the latter joking: ‘I don’t know if they’ll renew us next year; I wanna have fun with you this year.’
As well as high jinks, the judges were wowed by serious talent, with Katy saying: ‘I feel like we found three stars today.’
The judges: Lionel, Katy and Luke Bryan evaluated the talent on episode three of season 17
The highest praise went to Madison VanDenburg, 16, with Kelly telling her: ‘I think you’re as good as Kelly Clarkson. You could be the next Kelly Clarkson. You’re a massive star.’
‘Katy said it – it’s like I’m witnessing the next Kelly Clarkson,’ Luke agreed of her rendition of Dan + Shay’s Speechless at the piano.
Lionel, meanwhile, told her: ‘You rendered us speechless to the point where Katy is showing me goosebumps on her arm.’
High praise: Madison VanDenburg, 16, was compared to pop star and former American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson
Strong voice: The teenager unleashed her powerful voice delivering her rendition of Dan + Shay’s Speechless at the piano
They were also so amazed by Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon, 25, that Luke even offered to let him live in an apartment he has to stop him going back to work as a janitor at his dad’s church.
Jeremiah spoke of his pain at coming out to his family, saying: ‘The consensus seemed to be that this is not a path that I should follow.
‘All of my religion has been stripped down to I love you, no matter what.’
Pastor kid: Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon, 25, was raised by a pastor just like Katy
He then performed his own song, Almost Heaven, a moving paean to ‘questioning if there’s a place for me, and people like me, in heaven.’
‘You’re a serious musician,’ Katy told him, asking: ‘Do you know how good you are?’
When Katy begged him to ‘not go back being a janitor,’ Luke told him: ‘I’ve got a loft in Nashville, you can just live there.’
Living space: The church janitor was offered a place to live by Luke as the judges agreed that he could not go back to being a janitor
‘It’s kind of like a new beginning for me and I’m very grateful and full of hope,’ Jeremiah said after getting three yeses.
The judges even gave a ticket to Hollywood to someone who did not even audition to get there.
Laine Hardy auditioned last year – when Luke initially predicted he ‘might win American Idol’ – but arrived this time just to play guitar in support of his best friend’s sister, 20-year-old Ashton Gill.
Helping hand: Ashton Gill was supported by her friend Laine Hardy who auditioned last season playing guitar for her
After Ashton got through, Katy asked Laine to sing, saying: ‘I miss your voice so much.’
He performed The Band’s The Weight – with the judges stepping forward and handing him a golden ticket, too.
‘This time you got a shot,’ Lionel told him, while Katy insisted: ‘You could win this one. You really could.’
Sweet voice; The audition went well for Ashton who got sent through to Hollywood
Second chance: Laine was asked to sing by Katy and he obliged
Golden ticket: The judges waived a golden ticket in front of Laine and he accepted it
Nate Walker, 18, came in as a former contestant’s best friend, having sung in church with last year’s finalist Gabrielle Barrett since they were 10.
‘Something in the water in Pittsburgh,’ Katy said after his performance of A Great Big World’s Say Something, with Lionel insisting: ‘You are anointed, my friend.’
When Nate called Lionel a ‘legend’ as he went to collect his golden ticket, the star insisted: ‘No no no – you will be a legend.’
Piano man: Nate Walker performed A Great Big World’s Say Something on piano
Legendary performance: Lionel told Nate that he was going to be a legend
Nate immediately called Gabby, telling her: ‘You inspired me to do this in the first place.’
After Shawn Robinson, 21, sang Jesse J’s Who Are You, Lionel told him: ‘I’m just so mad at you.’
After changing it to ‘jealous,’ the star explained: ‘Your voice is like butter.
‘I’m in love with your personality.’
Buttery voice: Shawn Robinson was praised by Lionel for having a voice ‘like butter’ after her performed Jesse J’s Who Are You
Luke called the garden store associate ‘a precious person’ with a ‘very unique’ style, saying: ‘When you’re in your lane, you’re perfection.’
Giving his third yes, Katy compared him to a ‘ray of light,’ saying: ‘There’s joy in you and you can really feel that.’
After Lionel wiped away tears as Shawn’s family rushed in to celebrate, the contender said later: ‘Lionel Richie was crying by the end of it. I don’t know if it was my mom’s reaction or because of my beautiful voice.’
Getting emotional: Lionel wiped away tears as Shawn was sent to Hollywood
Wade Cota, 27, had one of the most painful background stories, recalling the violence his dad put the whole family through, insisting: ‘He was the devil.’
‘Nobody without a broken heart can write a song,’ he told the judges.
He was clearly overwhelmed at getting three yeses for his take on George Ezra’s Blame It On Me, with Luke comparing him to Johnny Cash and Katy saying: ‘You’ve got one of the most unique voices I’ve heard in my life.’
Painful background: Wade Cota overcame an abusive father that he called ‘the devil’
After getting his ticket to Hollywood, Wade said: ‘It feels incredible to make my mom proud. She always said I was a special one, that I was going to grow up to do something big. And she was right.’
After redhead Clay Page, 24, sang Thomas Rhett’s Die A Happy Man, Luke told him: ‘I’m sold completely, I’m fired up for you.’
He was praised for his gentleness, with Katy quipping: ‘You’re a gentle ginger.’
Gentle ginger: Clay Page advanced to Hollywood after Katy called him a ‘gentle ginger’
Nailed it: The singer nailed his rendition of Thomas Rhett’s Die A Happy Man
Katy told high school student Riley Thompson, 16, that she sounded ‘like a country Lana Del Rey’ after she sang an original, Oh Daddy.
‘This could be something very special in the competition,’ Lionel agreed.
Luke was worried about how young she was, but joined them in giving three yeses after he admitted: ‘We don’t wanna let you go because you’re showing us so much uniqueness and star quality.’
Teen talent: Riley Thompson, 16, performed an original song titled Oh Daddy
Riley was one of a number of contestants at the same age getting through, with Mica Giaconi, 16, and Darian Baena, 15, shown getting golden tickets.
‘The attack of the 15, 16 year olds. Man they’re coming stronger than ever,’ Lionel said, insisting: ‘And they’re scaring me to death.’
‘They’re coming for your gig, Lionel,’ Katy teased him.
Very special: The judges were a little worried about her age but sent Riley to Hollywood
One youngster acted well above his age – ultimately to his detriment.
Peter Lemongello Jr., 19, came in with a strong background, with his namesake dad the first man to sell a million records exclusively through television advertising in 1976.
Peter Jr. sang Can’t Help Myself by the Four Tops – saying he was such good friend with the legends he ‘was just with them’ over the weekend in Atlantic City.
Famous father: Peter Lemongello Jr., 19, came in with a strong background, with his namesake dad the first man to sell a million records exclusively through television advertising in 1976
The judges were intrigued by his fascination with the 50s – but only Katy gave a yes, with Lionel saying: ‘I don’t think it’s gonna fly for what we’re looking for on American Idol.’
Peter’s dad said later: ‘Everybody who’s had any success in show business has had a lot of defeats along the way. It should motivate him to fight it even harder. And I think it will.’
American Idol will return Sunday on ABC.
TV ad: The contestant was following in the footsteps of his father Pete Sr who marketed his own album Love ’76 with television ads
Good point: Peter didn’t get a ticket to Hollywood but his father noted that ‘Everybody who’s had any success in show business has had a lot of defeats along the way’