American Idol contestant Sara Beth Liebe quits after speaking out against Katy Perry’s ‘mum-shaming’

Liebe previously called out the judge for her ‘hurtful’ comment

Sara Beth Liebe, a contestant on American Idol, has quit the show after speaking out about Katy Perry’s “mum-shaming” comments.

Liebe quit the series on Sunday night (2 April) after a performance of The Police’s song “Roxanne”.

“This opportunity is really rad, but this is actually gonna be my last performance ’cause my heart’s at home,” she told Perry and co-judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.

“So I’m gonna get home to my babies. They kinda need me. So thank you,” she added before rushing off the stage.

The 25-year-old shocked the judges with her decision, with the three stars urging the musician to come back.

Perry told Liebe: “Sara Beth, I know life is scary. I also know that it’s easier to walk away than to be rejected. But then I also know that you lose out on your fullest potential.”

“Remember that self-love is just as big as motherly love,” the “I Kissed a Girl” singer said. “Don’t leave the competition.”

Liebe – who had made it into the next round – decided to exit the series, stating that she wished her children were “a little older”.

Following her exit from the programme, Perry said: “Man, that sucks. It’s not easy for anyone. Everyone has their own story.”

Liebe’s decision to quit the show follows after she spoke out against a “joke” Perry made during her decision.

After the aspiring singer told the judges that she was a 25-year-old mother to three children, Perry stood up in shock.

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“If Katy lays on the table, I think I’m going to pass out,” said Liebe.

In an apparent quip about Liebe being a young mother, Perry responded: “Honey, you’ve been laying on the table too much.”

After the episode aired, Liebe took to social media to call the Grammy award-winning artist out for the “hurtful” remark.

“It was embarrassing to have that on TV, and it was hurtful,” she said in a TikTok video, which has received over 45,000 likes.

“I think that women supporting and uplifting other women is so cool, and I think that mum-shaming is super lame.”

The Independent has contacted a representative of Perry for comment.

Perry joined American Idol as a judge for five seasons, having joined season 16 in 2018.