Katy Perry has insisted the COVID-19 crisis has a silver lining - it's given wannabe performers a push to chase their dreams.
The American Idol judge is currently at work on the latest season of the long-running talent show, which premieres on Valentine's Day, and admitted the latest talent pool, which emerged from a difficult 2020, is sweeter than ever.
"I think we're all living in this weird, wild, crazy moment where a lot of our dreams have been put on hold," the new mum explained during an appearance on Live With Kelly & Ryan.
"I think a lot of the contestants said to themselves, when they clicked a Zoom link to audition, 'I have nothing to lose'," she went on, musing: "because nothing is promised. We don't know what's going to happen tomorrow so (they think), 'I'm just going to go and swing for my dreams'."
Perry continued: "So that means the floodgates were open... Nobody was busy. They were just ready to take a hold of their dreams."
And she's thrilled, too, that American Idol is really commanding respect from other leading lights in the entertainment industry.
"It (the show) just keeps getting better and better," she smiled.
"I think people (in the business) trust us, and artists especially and real musicians especially, not just great singers but people with the whole package," she remarked, proclaiming: "and that really is what defines an American Idol - because it's not called American Singer. You've got to check so many different boxes and that's what these kids are coming out and doing."
