"American Idol" judge Katy Perry says she's "really proud" of the show's first at-home episode.
The 35-year-old singer discussed her experience in an interview with reporters after the Season 18 top 20 contestants performed remotely during Sunday's episode.
"American Idol" provided contestants with microphones and other equipment to create their own stage at home amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
"'American Idol' is all about fairness, so we sent everyone a kit that had the same mics, the same set, the same lights," Perry said.
"It was up to the talent. They had the option to perform with their own instruments or utilize our music director from afar."
"The disadvantages would be that they don't get the opportunity to play off of an audience," she added. "They have to look into the lens of the camera as though it is an excited audience."
Perry said she and her fellow "Idol" judges, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, were pleased with how the episode went.
"There's a lot of time delay, there's a lot of patience that we have to practice when we're speaking, and the reactions can't come as off the cuff as they do in a live setting," she said.
"All things considered, I would say with all the circumstances, I think we're really proud of it."
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Contestant Francisco Martin performed an acoustic version of Perry's song "Teenage Dream," while Arthur Gunn performed the Wynonie Harris song "Lovin' Machine" on the porch of his home.
Perry, who is expecting a baby girl with her fiance, actor Orlando Bloom, dressed up as a bottle of hand sanitizer while promoting the at-home episode in an Instagram video Sunday.
"We at #AmericanIdol are keeping it both fresh and CLEAN! Tune in for the first ever episode from our homes tonight," she wrote.
"American Idol" airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
ABC/Stewart Cook