Trans ‘American Idol’ Contestant Wows Judges With Sara Bareilles Hit

Amari, a waitress from Indiana, wowed the American Idol judges with her intimate rendition of “She Used To Be Mine” from the Broadway musical Waitress. The 28-year-old started off with a breezy, jazzy take on Britney Spears’s “Toxic,” but judge Katy Perry felt there was more “there” there. And that’s when Amari, who’s transgender, shared her journey to her authentic self. Along the way, she lost some people in her life, which was painful. But she’s since learned to accept that and moved on. “It’s normal to lose a lot of people,” she shared with the judges. “I’m not mad at them. I understand. I don’t expect people to understand everything. I just want to love everybody.” And that’s when she offered up an impromptu performance of “She Used To Be Mine,” with an emotional undertow that was palpable. Watch Amari’s performance and the judges’ reactions below. https://youtu.be/CpTEmcMtz30?si=-BM86FJymTlN4xct