alt=Lottie Elizabeth JohnsonWhen Wyatt Pike opened up on social media and said he dropped out of “American Idol” for “personal reasons,” several comments of support came from his competitors.
“So much love for you Wyatt!!!” contestant Grace Kinstler wrote on Instagram. “You are going to do AMAZING things; I cannot wait to watch it all unfold for you.”
But just as many comments expressed shock over Pike’s departure from “American Idol,” which was abruptly announced at the start of Monday night’s episode.
His unexpected exit from the show was a bombshell for fans. The 20-year-old singer-songwriter from Park City, Utah, was a favorite among the judges and fans, and had already made it to the top 12, the Deseret News reported.
On Thursday, Liahona Olayan — another Utah “Idol” competitor who made it to this season’s top 24 — shared her support for Pike, who she described as “genuine,” in an exclusive interview with the Deseret News.
“I was happy that he was able to make the decision to be like, ‘OK, do I want to be here or not?’” Olayan told the Deseret News. “He wasn’t afraid of what other people would say. I think he did it for his own well-being, which I was really happy for. I was like, ‘You go Wyatt! Do what you want.’
“But it was sad at the same time for sure because he has an amazing voice and I would love to hear more of his songs,” the 17-year-old singer continued.
Pike displayed one of his original songs when he auditioned for “Idol,” a song called “Best For You” that he wrote for his younger sister. He previously told the Deseret News that he picked that song because he wanted to show the judges who he was as a storyteller and songwriter.
“Towards my end of high school, I started struggling with some anxiety. It was some stuff that my sister had dealt with in the past,” Pike said in a clip that aired before his audition. “Walking into the audition with this song is important to me because I want to show who I am. It’s a story of mine and something that I feel, and I want to make them feel it.”
After that audition — where “Idol” judge Lionel Richie dubbed Pike a “Park City James Taylor” — Pike continued to impress the judges with his authenticity.
“You are an authentic superstar musician,” Katy Perry told Pike during the top 24 round, where the singer performed a duet with Ben Rector. “You could go on tour today and fit in right now.”
Although Pike dropped out of the “Idol” competition, this isn’t the end of his music career — in fact, when the singer spoke out on social media, he teased that “musical things” would be coming soon.
“I’m pretty sure he’ll have stuff in the future,” Olayan told the Deseret News. “I don’t think he’s ever going to stop singing.”