There were rumors that Kenedi Anderson, a 17-year-old from Crozet, Virginia, had left the show during the first two weeks of March because American Idol had mysteriously kept videos of her Duets or Showstopper performances from Hollywood Week.
Why Kenedi Anderson left American Idol and what she did instead
We can now say that “Kennedy” Anderson has left American Idol, which is what happened. After Kenedi sang Christina Perri’s “Human” at the Aulani Disney Resort in Hawaii on Monday night, the show’s host, Ryan Seacrest, said, “You’ll notice that there was no voting information during Kenedi’s performance. Since these programs were previously recorded in Hawaii, Kenedi (or Kennedy Anderson) has decided to leave our show for personal reasons. We hope the best for her.
After Ryan made his announcement, Kenedi wrote on Instagram, “For personal reasons, I can’t keep going on American Idol. This is the hardest choice I’ve ever made, but I know it’s important. I’m very grateful to American Idol, the judges, the people who make the show, the amazing contestants, and everyone who watches. I’m grateful that you’ve given me such a great chance to be myself, go after my goals, have so much fun doing what I love, and make friends for life along the way.
Kennedy didn’t say why she left American Idol for “personal reasons,” but the lyrics of a song she posted the next day on TikTok have led many to think it was because she got a record deal. She said, “Here is the chorus of a song I just wrote.” Then, sitting at the piano, she sang, “I need to find out; I need to find something better than what I had and without any conditions.” I deserve it: anything, no strings attached.
Kennedy sang Lady Gaga’s “Applause” at her audition, which surprised Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan.
Luke said She could be the most famous person we’ve ever seen. Katy agreed, saying, She was born to be a star. She got one of the three Platinum Tickets for the season, the only ones given out during the auditions. Kennedy didn’t have to perform on the first night of Hollywood Week because of the ticket. Instead, she joined the competition for Duets. She and Jordan Chase sang Bill Withers’s Lean on Me. Then, during Showstoppers, she sang Talking to the Moon by Bruno Mars, which helped her move up to the Top 24.
Kenedi has a lot of fans on TikTok
Since she released her first original song in December 2020, some videos have had more than 150K views. She also says that getting the Platinum Ticket gave her the confidence boost she needed, even though she had a lot of followers on social media.
Everyone in my family is athletic, and I’m the musical one, she wrote in her application. Music helps me feel better. Music is the one thing that has always been there for me, whether I’m mad or sad. I’m happy with where I am now and thankful for everything that led me here. Right now is the best time for me to apply for American Idol.
