The clip begins by revisiting the moment Maxwell won Miss America. (FYI, she was also Miss Georgia.) “I absolutely did not think I was going to win,” she says. “I had a lot of mishaps during the competition. I had a sinus infection that really inhibited my singing. I was singing classic opera as my talent.”
When she enters the American Idol audition room, Maxwell explains that the three judges—Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan—can hold the Miss America crown, but they aren’t allowed to put it on, per the pageant’s rules. Naturally, Perry makes things awkward by actually smelling the crown. Yup.
Right on cue, the singer dives into a fitting rendition of “A Moment Like This” by Kelly Clarkson. During the flawless performance, Perry jokingly grabs the crown and pretends to put it on her head in a slow-motion sequence. Distracting…yet entertaining.
After singing a second song—“Jesus, Take the Wheel” by Carrie Underwood—the judges give Maxwell a well-deserved ticket to Hollywood.
So, will Maxwell bring the crown to California? Or has she learned her lesson? Guess we’ll have to wait to find out.
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