From Kenedi Anderson to Caleb Kennedy, 5 American Idol contestants who have quit the ABC show

A few American Idol contestants left the show in the middle of the season after impressing the judges and the audience with their singing talent, surprising everyone. Earlier this month on April 11, fan favorite contestant Kenedi Anderson quit the show.

From Kenedi Anderson to Caleb Kennedy, many performers left the reality singing competition for various reasons. Let’s have a look at all the singers who left the competition midway.

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Five American Idol contestants who quit American Idol

Over the years, American Idol has given a platform to all budding singers and artists to make their dreams come true and carve a niche for themselves in the music industry. But some singers left the show in the middle of the season due to personal reasons, surprising their fans and the judges.

Kenedi Anderson

One of the most shocking exits from the reality singing competition was of platinum ticket holder Kenedi Anderson, who left the show in season 20, surprising judge Luke Bryan the most.

He dubbed her as “the biggest star we’ve ever seen” during a March 2022 episode. Other judges were also taken aback by her decision.

However, Anderson posted on her Instagram that she can no longer continue on the show for “personal reasons.”

The 17-year-old high school senior then released a video on TikTok, now deleted, singing, “I need to find, need to find something better than what I had, and with no strings attached.”

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Caleb Kennedy

One of the top 5 contestants of season 19, Caleb Kennedy, announced his exit from the show last year after a video of him sitting next to a friend wearing a Klu Klux Klan hood resurfaced in May 2021.

He announced his decision on Instagram and apologized for his actions.

Speaking to the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, Kennedy's mother said that the video was made when he and his friends were 12 years old. She also clarified that they were referencing the movie, The Strangers: Prey at Night, not the KKK. She further added:

“Caleb doesn’t have a racist bone in his body.”

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Nick Merico

Nick Merico willingly left the show during American Idol season 17. In a March 2019 interview, talking about his decision, he said:

"Unfortunately, something happened with my family that I can’t really disclose that forced me to back out of the competition. And I hate to say that, but that’s what happened. It’s the truth, man."

Merico later appeared in seasons 18 and 19 of the show.

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Benson Boone

Season 19 contestant of American Idol, Benson Boone, decided to “step down” from the singing show after making it to the top 24. He announced his decision to his fans on Instagram.

However, he disclosed the real reason behind his decision to the reality TV blog MJSBIGBLOG later that year after releasing the track Ghost Town. He said:

“I didn’t really know who I wanted to be as an artist yet, and I didn’t want to show the world someone I’m not.”

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Wyatt Pike

Like singer Kenedi Anderson, Wyatt Pike too left American Idol mid-season. He left the show after making it to the Top 16 of season 19, citing “personal reasons” as the reason behind his exit. He was one of the fan-favorite singers on the show.

Despite his exit, he followed his passion and continues to release his music.

Other singers who quit the singing competition in the middle of the season include Marlea Stroman (Season 4), Jermaine Jones (Season 11), Mario Vazquez (Season 4), and Tiquila Wilson (Season 13).

The singers may have left the show but continue to captivate their fans with their releases on various social media platforms.