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‘American Idol’ contestant walked off stage after elimination — into the most heartbreaking moment of his life

"My condolences brother," ‘American Idol’ contestant receives support from show and fellow artists after the tragedy.

'American Idol' contestants usually have a hard journey as everyone eventually parts ways as the show progresses. That said, you don't have to win the show to be able to make it as a singer in the music industry. Several contestants, like Adam Lambert or Jennifer Hudson, who, despite not winning 'Idol,' went on to make a huge name for themselves. 'American Idol' season 23 saw the rise of fabulous singers, with the roster being trimmed down to the top 10. This resulted in several talented singers being eliminated. Sonny Tenet was one among them.

Getting eliminated from one of the world's biggest singing reality shows when music is your passion is certainly heartbreaking. However, one tragedy followed another. As Sonny Tenet was sent back home after his 'Idol' elimination, he shared the sad news of his father's demise on his Instagram. He posted a picture of his father soulfully playing the guitar with a caption that read, "I said goodbye to my dad today..." a great man and one of my biggest musical influences. Absolutely gutted, just hoping he’s at peace. See you in the next one. Love you, Dad."

As reported by Entertainment Now, Tenet, hailing from South Shields, England, has been performing live as a singer since he was 14. In a report by Cultured North East, Tenet revealed, “My dad was a singer in a band for years when I was growing up. My dad was a singer in a band for years when I was growing up.” The English singer went on to highlight his father's role in pushing him in the direction of music. "I thought, ‘Hang on a’ minute’—Dad’s quite a popular man, and it’s all down to his music! So from an early age I was drawn to the karaoke machine, and my mom was always telling me to get up and sing. Both of my parents were so supportive, and I was part of a very musical family."

The post by Tenet of his father's passing was met with heartfelt messages from fellow 'Idol' contestants and even the show's official page. MKY, the 'Idol' auditionee who had Lionel Richie grooving to his tunes, commented with three emojis to show his love and support: "🙏🏽💔💫." Jeremy Levif, 'The Voice' France 2023 Finalist & 'The Voice' UK 2021 Semi-Finalist, added, "Sending love and strength, Sonny 💪😞."

The official 'American Idol' page, on the other hand, added their heartfelt comment, "So sorry, Sonny." Idol contestants who couldn't make it to the finals reached out too, with Filo, who was eliminated in the Top 10, giving his condolences as he wrote, "My condolences, brother. Sending the love and prayers to you and your whole family."