Anderson, who was seen as a frontrunner on the show, revealed the news on Instagram Monday. She had already pre-taped her Top 24 performance. “For personal reasons, I’m unable to continue on American Idol. This has been one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make, but I know it’s necessary,” Anderson wrote. “I’m so grateful to American Idol, the judges, the producers, the amazing contestants, and all the fans who have supported me.” She added a thank you to the people who helped her along the way. “Thank you for giving me such an amazing opportunity to share my voice, chase my dreams, feel so much joy and happiness doing what I love, and make lifelong friends along the way,” she wrote. Host Ryan Seacrest addressed Anderson’s departure, saying on Monday night, “You might have noticed that there was no voting information during Kenedi’s performance just now. Since we taped these shows in Hawaii earlier, Kenedi has decided to withdraw from our show for personal reasons. We send her well wishes.” Judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan gave Anderson a standing ovation during the competition. M Faizan Riasat April 13, 2022
