Claudia Conway Eliminated From ‘American Idol’ But Receives Parting Words From Katy Perry

Claudia Conway’s time on American Idol has come to an end. The 16-year-old daughter of former Trump White House counselor Kellyanne Conway made it through the first performance of Hollywood Week with a cover of Bishop Briggs’ “River,” but couldn’t overcome a difficult pairing with 17-year-old contestant Hannah Everhart, whose country style outshined Claudia’s voice during a rendition of Harry Styles’s “Sign of the Times.”

Claudia first made headlines due to her TikToks, in which she publicly criticized her mother and her role in the Trump administration before alleging her parents verbally and physically abused her and announcing she would be seeking emancipation. In January, police responded to the Conway home due to a domestic situation, and later that month, Claudia would accuse her mother of having a role in leaking her topless photo online.

Judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan did their best to help Claudia and Everhart pair their styles for the duets round but ultimately decided that Conway’s voice wasn’t strong enough to secure her a spot in the next round. The “Firework” singer assured Claudia that despite being eliminated from the competition, she was sure there was a grand future ahead of her, both on- and off-stage. “You’re just coming to life—I can see it in you,” Perry told the contestant after her elimination Monday. “And you’re taking control of your life, and I applaud you for that. This is going to be the end of the American Idol journey for right now.”

Claudia took her elimination well, saying she was “so proud” of Everhart, whom she said “deserves [to move forward on Idol] more than anything.” On Instagram, the teen wrote, “It’s been real [American Idol]. Love you guys so much and I’m missing my AMAZING duet partner right about now [Hannah Everhart].” Everhart, who admitted early on that she had no idea who her TikTok famous partner was, told Claudia after their performance that she was a “really wonderful person.”

Claudia’s confidence isn’t the only thing that has changed since her audition, in which she performed Rihanna’s “Love on the Brain” and Adele’s “When We Were Young.” After getting advice from Perry early on to own her confidence, the teen dyed her blonde locks dark for her edgy new rebrand, which the pop diva called a “transformation.” Claudia said of Perry’s impact on her Idol journey, “She believed in me, and I could not be more grateful for that. Now I’m just trying it all out telling myself I can do it.”