25-Year-Old Mom Quit ‘American Idol’ & Said She Was ‘So Over’ Katy Perry’s ‘Lame’ Mom-Shaming Comments

Apr 13, 2023

Katy Perry is a beloved pop star who has been a pivotal figure in the entertainment industry since the late 2000s. In 2008, she released her second album, “One of the Boys,” containing hits such as “I Kissed a Girl” and “Hot n Cold,” propelling her to stardom. Perry followed the successful record with yet another and even more popular album in 2010 called “Teenage Dream.” The album has gone on to be recognized as one of the great pop albums in history, containing five No. 1 singles – “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream,” “Firework,” “E.T.” and “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.).”

With such a great collection of hits under her belt, it’s easy to see how Perry is one of the best-selling artists of all time, selling more than 143 million records across the world. On top of that, she is the recipient of several awards and accolades and is still recognized for her outstanding Super Bowl halftime show.

Over the years, Perry has continued to show off more of her talents by delving into the world of acting. She is also currently one of the three judges on “American Idol” alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.

In a March 2023 episode of "American Idol," Perry encountered 25-year-old California native Sara Beth Liebe, who has just taken a break from raising her three children. 

Right off the bat, when Liebe recalled to the judges how her interest in pursuing music came about, Perry immediately asked her: “Is this your dream? Is it now? If it’s not your dream then you might need to leave because there’s a lot of dreams behind you.”

Liebe said that she was still “processing” the moment right before she performed “You Know I’m No Good” by Amy Winehouse. But in April 2023, her stance changed.

Liebe sang the song with a guitar accompaniment. “Come on; we need more. That’s not enough. Try ‘Benny and the Jets.” Perry told the singer. Bryan then went on and asked her – “What do you have to lose?” Perry answered back, saying: “Nothing. It’s not her dream yet.”

Liebe then performed a cover of Elton John’s “Bennie and The Jets,“ which visibly impressed Perry and the other judges more than the Winehouse cover. 

Just as Perry was hyping her up, Liebe unleashed a flurry of runs that got Bryan standing in his seat. Perry then described Liebe as an “accidental American Idol” and a “comic strip character” that has just come to life after her performance.  

Perry offered a piece of advice to Liebe, which also got some people on the internet fuming. 

“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,” she pointed out. 

While Richie said no to Liebe, Bryan and Perry ultimately gave her a yes, which meant that she advanced to Hollywood Week. As soon as the show aired and the video of the audition was uploaded online in March 2023, people were quick to slam the “Roar” hitmaker for her alleged mom-shaming remarks.

“A young mother following a dream while raising her children should be raised up, not put down,” a user commented. 

Right before Liebe performed, she revealed that she was only 25 years old with three children. Liebe then joked that if Perry lay on the table, she might pass out. Perry then went on to retort back – “Honey, you’ve been laying on the table for too much,” prompting the two other male judges to laugh. 

“I really do not like how Katy Perry just treated Sara Beth on #AmericanIdol I don’t watch this show at all, and my tv was already on the channel, but what I witnessed was not right. They let Katy Perry bully this woman on live national tv before she even started singing. So ugly,” one person tweeted. 

Since then, more drama has ensued in the “American Idol” universe. In an interview with PEOPLE, Liebe opened up about how Perry’s unkind comments made her feel and said:

"It was embarrassing to have that on TV, and it was hurtful. I think that women supporting and uplifting other women is so cool and I think that mom-shaming is super lame and I think that it's hard enough to be a mom and it's hard enough to be a woman."

On April 3, 2023, the New York Post reported that Liebe left the singing competition. Liebe explained that she has been a mom since she was 18 and didn’t realize “how hard it would be” to be away from her kids. Since her heart was “at home,” she decided she wanted to be there, too.

“So, I’m going get home to my babies. They kind of need me. Thank you,” she explained.

Whoopi Goldberg showed her support for Liebe on “The View” and said, “People have to make decisions and you made the decision that was right for you. With that voice, that will not be your only time and you’re young enough to come back and do it again.”

Forbes reported that the mom was “so over” Perry’s mom-shaming remarks and wanted to put the whole situation behind her. Liebe simply posted on her Instagram:

“What a wild year. Ready to make some music about it.”

What do you think of Sara Beth Liebe’s performance? What do you think about Katy Perry’s comments? Let us know, and pass this on to your friends who you think would be interested!