Katy Perry guest hosted today’s Ellen Degeneres Show (on her birthday!), and it was chockfull of guests from American Idol, including her fellow judge, Luke Bryan.
Additionally, she invited season 16 alum Michael J. Woodard to perform his new single “Hopeful.” Earlier this year, Katy announced that she signed Michael to her Unsub record label. “Hopeful” follows “why you texting me” his debut single for the label.
“My next guest blew me away on my very first season as judge on American Idol,” Katy gushed as she introduced the young singer. “I loved him so much, that I signed him to my label so I could be part of his journey.”
Watch Michael J. Woodard perform “hope full” on the Katy Perry-hosted Ellen Show
Michael is not only recorded music for Katy’s label, but he is also the star of the Netflix animated cartoon musical Arlo the Alligator Boy and the sequel I heart Arlo. In it, he plays a half boy/half alligator who embarks on a trip to New York City to find his father. Each film features Michael singing on the soundtrack.
For her part, Katy promoted the song on Twitter: “@MichaelJWoodard is at it again… his new song hope full is out now on @unsubrecords! Listen for some of that glass half full optimism.”
. @MichaelJWoodard is at it again… his new song ?hope full? is out now on @unsubrecords! Listen for some of that glass half full optimism ? https://t.co/9OT8NcxpgC pic.twitter.com/OMssFZLOoW
— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) October 22, 2021
Check out the “hope full” lyric video here.
Michael’s Hollywood performance had Katy throwing her chair
Michael wowed the judges in his 2018 Hollywood solo round with a performance of “Maybe This Time” from the musical Cabaret. In the clip below, Katy keeps exclaiming “Oh my gosh!” throughout his performance. Eventually she screams. And then she tries to throw a chair. Dangerous! “WHERE THE HECK DID HE COME FROM!” she finally said. “I feel like a star was born.” Watch all of his American Idol performances HERE.
Eventually, Michael advanced to the Top 10, where he was eliminated with Cade Foehner at the Top 5. Maddie Pope would go on to win the season with Caleb Lee Hutchinson and Gabby Barrett as the first and second runners up, respectively.
