Katy Perry Calls Romance Between Idol's Caleb Lee Hutchinson and Maddie Poppe 'Divine Intervention'
When it comes to their newly publicized relationship, American Idol winner Maddie Poppe and runner up Caleb Lee Hutchinson have judge Katy Perry‘s approval.
“You can’t write this stuff,” Perry, 33, told PEOPLE after Monday night’s show. “This is just divine intervention, honey.”
19-year-old Hutchinson announced their relationship during the last 15 minutes of the show when he told host Ryan Seacrest, “Well Maddie is my pal and I’ve known her since the beginning of Hollywood week. And she actually happens to be my girlfriend.”
Caleb Lee Hutchinson and Maddie Poppe during the American Idol season 16 finale, May 21.
The announcement caught the judges by surprise, drawing gasps from Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, and causing Perry to spin around in her chair multiple times!
After revealing the big news, the couple performed Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s version of the classic “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” together and even held hands. After their song, the pair was surprised with a free trip to Disney’s Aulani resort in Hawaii.
While it’s news to the rest of America, Hutchinson admits he’s been crazy about Poppe for quite some time.
“If you ask me, it was January 21 — the first day I laid eyes on her,” Hutchinson told PEOPLE of when things were made “official.”
“Before she was my girlfriend, she really has been my best friend since we met,” he added. “Through this whole thing, me and her haven’t been apart. I’m there for her whenever she’s worried about anything and she’s there for me.”
Following the show, Hutchinson sweetly celebrated his girlfriend’s big win.
“MY GIRLFRIEND WON AMERICAN IDOL!!! No one deserved it more than you babe. I am honored to know you and even more honored to call you mine. Don’t forget about me. I love you,” he said on Twitter.
“I don’t have any words to describe this really,” Poppe, 19, told reporters of her win after the show. “I can’t believe people believed in me this much just to make it to the top two with Caleb. To actually have been named the winner of this show is is incredible. I got to be who I wanted to be. The fact that I’m here, and that I can tell you I won the show doing exactly what I wanted to do, and I didn’t have to change myself for anybody — it’s pretty incredible.”
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