Haven Madison Opens Up About Performing With Katy Perry on ‘American Idol’

Although Haven Madison didn’t win “American Idol,” the series gave her a chance to do what many aspiring artists can only dream about. During the Season 21 finale episode in May 2023, Madison took the stage alongside then-judge Katy Perry. The two performed an unforgettable mashup of two original songs that stunned the audience.

Now, two years later, Madison told News9 how that incredible moment felt. “It was a really cool moment,” she said. “And just the meaning of the two songs together was really, really special.” The singers combined Perry’s “By The Grace of God” and Madison’s “Still Need You” for the performance. Madison also shared how honored she felt that Perry respected her songwriting skills enough to learn “Still Need You” for the finale.

The Singers Performed With Surprisingly Little Preparation

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As memorable as the finale mash-up was, fans may be surprised to learn that it happened with only minimal preparation. As Madison explained in a 2024 video interview, she and Perry didn’t go through the usual litany of rehearsals. “Me and Katy only had one rehearsal,” she revealed. “Everybody else had rehearsals kind of all throughout the week, and she came in the day of. We had a rehearsal, a dress run-through, and then we went.”

This sounds like the makings of a stressful on-stage moment, but Madison shared that she and Perry were both very confident in each other’s abilities. Perhaps even more surprising, their live performance was the first time the whole mash-up came together without a hitch. “I cannot speak highly enough about that experience,” the young singer said.

Madison Released Her First EP in 2024

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With her “American Idol” finale performance now a fond memory, Madison is looking ahead to her music future. She released her debut EP, “Turn Off All The Lights,” in mid-2024 and, as she explained to News9, she had a hand in writing every song for the project. “It was basically being 17 [years old] put into five songs. That’s exactly what it is,” she explained.

In 2025, her single, “Castle,” began making waves among music fans, and some of their reactions surprised Madison. “I mean, I’ve had some people get lyrics to ‘Castle’ tattooed,” she revealed. “They got it tattooed last fall, like before the song had even come out, before I knew it was gonna come out.” Clearly, Madison is already having a lasting impact on some of her listeners, and her career is just getting started.