American Idol: Katy Perry gives single mom and dancer Fire Wilmore a second ... trends now

American idol judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan, were all touched by the story of single mom Fire Wilmore on Sunday's episode of the talent show. 

Perry, 38 - who recently broke down in tears in another emotional episode - Richie, 73, and Bryan, 46, were in the fifth week of Season 21 auditions in Las Vegas, when they encountered Fire, 22, from Lawton, Oklahoma. 

Fire discussed her hard childhood, her hardships as a young single mom to a four-year-old daughter Maja, and revealed that she wanted to get out of being an exotic dancer and provide a better life for her daughter.

She performed a rendition of Bruno Mars’ 'Talking to the Moon,' but left the judges wanting more, with Lionel and Luke both voting 'no.'

However, after Fire broke down crying, Perry decided to offer her a second chance, and invited her to audition again in Nashville in a month. 

'I never expected to be pregnant and alone at the age of 18. But I was so happy. I forgot about everything else in my life. All I could think about was I didn't want to see her struggle. I didn't want her to live the life that I had in any shape, way, or form,' Fire revealed as she introduced herself.

'So what do you do in Virginia?' the judges asked.

'I'm actually a dancer.'

'What kind of dancer?'

'A stripper,' she shared quietly.

She was then asked about her childhood. 'My life is kind of a crazy story... My mom was in and out of drugs. So right off the bat, I was put into state custody, which is the Indian Child Welfare. I was this young little Indian girl who had been dirty because I didn't have parents to take care of me. My life really sucked.'

She went on, 'The world's not designed for single moms to be successful. So I did what I had to do, and I need to do better. I need to get away from dancing. I need to do this for me. I need to do this for my daughter.' 

Unfortunately Lionel and Luke both said no following her performance, prompting Fire to cry. 

That's when Katy decided to step in by giving her a second chance with an audition in Nashville. 

'You don't deserve three no's. 'Cause you've got something there. I just think that it hasn't been worked out enough.'

'There's always beauty. There's always light in the darkness. Somehow, someway, you will find what you came looking for,' she tried to encourage Fire, who looked heartbroken.

Katy then stated: 'Alright. I got a little something for you. We're gonna be in Nashville in about a month, and I'm gonna give you a second chance. That's where you're gonna show us what the fire is. Okay? I know you didn't name yourself that for nothing.'

'You got one month. One month. Okay?'

'I don't want it. I need it,' Fire replied. 'I'm gonna put in everything I got,' the performer assured the judges. 

Another standout performance of the night was PJAE, 23, from Lawton, Oklahoma, who received a standing ovation from the judges. 

When asked about his life and his high and low points, the singer discussed his weight loss journey as well as the struggles he went through in school.

'I think probably the biggest, like, most defining thing for me has been my weight loss journey.'

He then discussed the bullying he experienced in school. 'Growing up, I was super outgoing, so I was bullied a lot for being, like, flamboyant. I would get, like, a solo or like a performance at school or something like that. And then, like, after the concert, I would get bullied in the locker room. It was very unsafe for me. I felt like I was super uncomfortable.'

'And food was one of my biggest coping mechanisms for trauma. I would always just escape to food. When I graduated high school, I was 400 pounds,' he said, as the judges looked on surprised. 

'It was just terrible. Like, I hated my body. I hated looking at myself in the mirror. It was difficult growing up. I was always telling myself, "No." But my mom was always there to tell me, "Yes."'

'Once I kind of got more comfortable with myself, I started to finally come into my own. I was like, You know what? I've got to prioritize my happiness. And music was, like, my saving grace. And now I'm here, 150 pounds lighter.'

He then sang 'Mirror' by Madison Ryann Ward, thrilling all three judges.

'Okay. Put that down. The kid can sing. Hallelujah,' Lionel stated, excited about the performance. 

Meanwhile Luke stated: 'I've been saying a lot of "No's" this year to get to someone like you. You know, we've been dealing with some singers coming in that weren't really putting the emotional connection in there. You just slayed all of that.'

'I think it was the first time today that I have felt...a wave of chills so naturally,' Katy said. 

'It was so beautiful, so effortless, so angelic and

read more from dailymail.....