Mississippi’s Jennifer Jeffries advances to the American Idol Top 24.

One week after setting a high bar for herself during Hollywood Week, the 17-year-old from Starkville was back on the stage Monday night during Showstoppers Week. Jeffries chose to perform Noah Kahan’s “Northern Attitude,” a bold move that instantly caught the judges’ attention.

“Chill bumps,” Luke Bryan exclaimed during her performance, while Katy Perry added, “That is a star in the making.”

Despite the judges’ praise, the competition remained fierce. When asked about her performance during the final judgment, Jeffries confessed to blacking out for most of it, prompting laughter from Bryan, Perry, and Lionel Richie.

Acknowledging her raw talent, the judges agreed that she was a “diamond in the rough” worth nurturing further in the competition.

“You’ve got a sound in your voice that’s incredible. But it can’t be all texture and tone; it’s got to be notes,” Perry cautioned before delivering the verdict. “By the time we’re finished with you, you ain’t gonna be rough. You’re just gonna be the diamond.”

As the segment concluded, host Ryan Seacrest asked Jeffries about her feelings about advancing to the Top 24. “It’s amazing. I never thought I could be here, but I am,” she responded.

The next American Idol broadcast is on April 7 at 7 p.m. Central Time.