3 Times ‘American Idol’ Contestants Opted to Leave the Competition
Each year millions of hopeful artists take to auditions around the country, hoping the American Idol judges will see something special in them. Understandably, each contestant who moves on to the next round is thrilled. As the excitement winds down and the pressure to perform increases, some contestants learn that American Idol isn’t what they were looking for. While it is rare, several contestants have voluntarily withdrawn from the competition over the years. Beckett McDowell recently stepped forward to reveal he is the mysterious American Idol contestant who chose to drop out of the current season. So, who else has opted to leave the singing competition on their own terms? We’ve collected three recent examples.
Sara Beth Liebe opted out of ‘American Idol 2023,’ as well
Sara Beth Liebe, initially dubbed “the accidental idol,” announced her decision to depart the competition just two weeks ago. Leibe noted that she decided to step away from American Idol because she missed her cihldren. The 25-year-old songstress is the mother of three.
Liebe’s journey to Hollywood Week was unconventional, and the California native garnered more attention than most early on in the competition. Not all of that attention was positive. Liebe’s audition went viral when Katy Perry joked about Liebe being a young mother. The Idol hopeful labeled the joke as “unkind.”
Kenedi Anderson became an ‘American Idol’ dropout during season 20
Kenedi Anderson impressed the American Idol judges enough with her audition to skip the first week of Hollywood Week during season 20. The praise wasn’t enough to keep her in the competition, though. Anderson, then 17, decided to drop out of American Idol after making it to her season’s Top 24.
Anderson didn’t go into detail about her decision, opting to explain that she left the show for “personal reasons.” Despite her decision to leave the competition early, American Idol helped put the singer on the map. Anderson has more than 400,000 followers on TikTok. She uploads videos of herself singing covers regularly.
Caleb Kennedy withdrew from season 19
Caleb Kennedy skated through several difficult rounds of American Idol in season 19 but wouldn’t see the competition through. Kennedy, then 16, withdrew from the competition after making the Top 5 when a video of the teen, along with others dressed similarly to members of the Klu Klux Klan, surfaced online. It remains unclear if Kennedy voluntarily withdrew from the competition or if he was asked to do so by the network.
Kennedy found himself with bigger issues years after his American Idol appearance. In February 2022, Kennedy was arrested after he was involved in a car accident. According to the New York Post, while under the influence, Kennedy crashed the truck he was driving into a workshop occupied by a 54-year-old man. The man was killed in the accident. Kennedy was charged with felony DUI. The court case is still pending.
While Liebe and McDowell both opted to end their American Idol journey early, the show will go on. Many more competitors are hoping to garner the attention of fans and industry insiders as they move through the rest of the competition. American Idol airs on ABC and Hulu on Sundays and Mondays at 8 pm eastern.
