Former American Idol contestant Wyatt Pike finally broke his silence behind the real reason he left the show.
Last 2021, Wyatt headlined entertainment news after withdrawing from American Idol’s 19th season shortly before the announcement of the Top 12 (of which he is a part) and the first live stage performance. According to rumors, Wyatt’s abrupt exit followed his actual fistfight with Idol judge Luke Bryan. Additionally, it was alleged that Bryan sustained a black eye from the encounter, which was further fueled after his coincidental absence from the judging panel and Paula Abdul filling in for him.
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But Caroline Bryan, Luke’s wife, quickly debunked the rumors online. She confirmed the news on TikTok that her husband has COVID-19.
A few days later, Wyatt Pike took to Instagram to express that he left Idol for personal reasons. He didn’t elaborate and simply thanked his supporters and wished his fellow contestants luck. Wyatt also teased that he would be releasing music soon.
What happened to Wyatt in American Idol?
Early this 2022, in a chat with Park City NPR radio station KPCW about his newly-released song “Deep Blue,” Wyatt Pike shared about his American Idol experience. He said that it was a fantastic one that opened doors of opportunities, increased his fanbase, and ultimately allowed him to move to Los Angeles. He also confessed to the real reason behind his departure.
The bottom line was that, in reality, ‘competitive music was not his thing.’ It just became too much – all the stress, the behind-the-scenes pressure, and the things that had to happen. Wyatt also expressed his worries about reintroducing himself musically after the show. That was mainly because there was an understanding of who he was on the show, but that maybe didn’t completely represent who he wanted to be and who he wanted to become.
Wyatt Pike may not have become the next American Idol, but he hit many music goals this 2022. He co-wrote “Deep Blue” with fellow Idol alum Francisco Martin and released it independently alongside Peter Hanaman, an assistant engineer at The Village Studios. He also released “Hearts,” which was again co-written with Martin. Wyatt also joined Ray LaMontagne in a stripped-down cover of “You Are The Best Thing.”
