Katy Perry is usually extremely complimentary of all her American Idol contestants. She's not the type to break hearts if she doesn't have to do so. But she has incredibly high expectations for this year's winner.
Videos by Wide Open Country
The former Idol judge was quick to give Abi Carter her flowers after her big win. In an interview with Extra!, Perry details what makes her special. ""I think she was authentic, I think she was humble, I think she was singing with an angelic frequency," she explains. "The voice is unlike anything I've heard in pop music. I mean, the last time I said that, I said that about Ariana Grande when she went on 'The Ellen [DeGeneres] Show.'"
The Teenage Dream pop star's reaction to Grande was strong, declaring her 'the best singer of our generation.' With her putting Abi Carter in that ballpark, she truly sets the bar high for the Idol winner to succeed.
What's Next for Abi Carter After Katy Perry Endorsement?
The American Idol breakout has more than just Katy Perry in her corner. When speaking with Us Weekly, Carter says Luke Bryan approached her after the show to say she was their favorite. "He came up to me last night [after the finale] and he was like, 'I think this is the first time the person that we thought was gonna be the winner actually was,'" Carter recalls. "And I was like, I can't believe that just in that first audition, they had that idea of me and that amount of high hopes, I guess."
This did not ease fan tension and belief that this whole competition was rigged from the start. One of the hysterically angry fans tweeted on the night, "Yo @AmericanIdol, this s—t is woke and rigged. She can't sing for s—t."
Regardless, her win is bound to bring her plenty of opportunities. With a record label contract in hand and some money for her efforts, Carter has resources at her disposal to blow up further. She can be in rooms with A&Rs, writers, and producers who know just how to unlock her ideas.
I'm still a bit skeptical of her post-Idol chances in the music industry. She certainly has the voice but she lacks distinction. There is a certain faceless quality to her original song on the competition, "This Isn't Over." It feels formally correct but not especially exciting. But I do see the potential Katy Perry sees in her. Perhaps in the right hands, she can flourish.
