This Is the 'The Brad Pitt of Country' According to 'American Idol' Judge Katy Perry

On Sunday night’s American Idol, country singer Colin Stough’s performance of “Pretty Heart” left something to be desired. In fact, judge Katy Perry told him that she wanted him to “push to give them a few more notes.” Even so, Colin made the cut from Top 20 to Top 12.

But for Monday night’s performance of Robyn's "Dancing on My Own,” Colin took the advice to heart. His performance was truly a winner, so much so that Luke Bryan ran up on the stage and hugged him, and Katy told him, “One moment can change your life and that was the moment.”

In fact, she was still high on his performance after the show when she spoke to Parade in a small group of reporters and said, "What he did tonight with the Robyn song was, I think, one of the best performances of the whole night. Tonight, Colin made me a believer. He really sealed his deal. It only took a different moment. I think he literally turned his life around. He's the Brad Pitt of country music. He's got the taste and the song choice and the vocal ability, he really showcased it tonight."

Related: Who Went Home and Who Made It Through to the Top 12 Tonight on American Idol

Then in a conversation with Luke, the country star judge explained why he ran up on the stage for that hug.

"When I get a country kid like Colin, I can see myself in him," Bryan said. "On the show last night, I really, really challenged him to be aggressive with that mentality. He went out there, and he did a great job, and that’s fun for me. It’s fun to see a kid get it. When the lightbulb comes on like, ‘Oh, man, I’ve got to really own this thing, I can’t aww shucks my way through this thing.’ I think he really did that.”

Colin also stopped by for an after-show chat and was still feeling the positive vibes from his performance, including the hug from Luke.

“He’s either hugging me for good news or bad news,” the 18-year-old from Amory, Mississippi said. “It was good, man. It really took a relief off my shoulders because I love constructive criticism, I love it. I had gotten it the two rounds back-to-back and I was like. ‘I’ve got to do something.’”

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The something he decided on came to him while he was in the vocal room with his behind-the-scenes vocal coaches at 7:30 at night when he says the "good Lord laid something on his heart."

“I told my coaches, I was like, ‘Hey, I don’t know why I’m saying I need to do this song.’ I played it for them, they sat down and five minutes later it was like, 'Yeah, you’re doing that song.'”

It definitely worked out as far as the judges were concerned, and Colin himself, who says he's "proud" of  his performance. That said, he won’t find out until next Monday when the Top 12 becomes the Top 10 if America is behind him as well.

American Idol returns next Sunday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

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