'American Idol' judges called her the next big star — then she exited before America could vote
Kenedi Anderson wowed the judges of 'American Idol' with a stunning performance during season 20 and earned the second platinum ticket. Anderson skipped the grueling Hollywood week with her powerful opera-style rendition of Lady Gaga's 'Applause.' "I'm playing the piano," she surprised the judges with her request. But when Anderson struck the right notes and elevated the song with her soprano tone, Katy Perry was left astonished. "I said you sign this," Perry exclaimed after the performance, handing out a pen and paper for an autograph.
"I need two backstage passes, right now. What are the names of your fans?" Lionel Richie added in admiration. "I don't have any," Anderson innocently replied, failing to understand the impact of her performance on the judges. "I mean, my head is spinning," Luke Bryan added. "I don't know how you haven't been recruited. You check every box, and a lot of them get ready to become your own hero," Perry expressed. "You don't understand. We can sit all day long and sing songs. What we're looking for is the next thing in the music business. You have graced us because your voice, your look, your sound—if that's 17 years old, congratulations, you've answered our prayer; thank you," he added.
"I believe you might be the biggest star we've ever seen, no doubt, and I believe you're in the top 10," Bryan predicted. "She was born to be a star," Perry proclaimed before collectively handing out the platinum ticket to Anderson. The then 17-year-old breezed through the rounds with her stellar performances; however, midway into the competition, Anderson abruptly announced her decision to quit. The sensational teen artist had already secured a place among the top 24. “For personal reasons, I’m unable to continue on ‘American Idol,’” she revealed in a lengthy note on Instagram. “This has been one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make, but I know it’s necessary,” she confessed, as per Masslive.
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Anderson did not clarify or provide any further details about her sudden decision, but according to a later shared Instagram post, the young artist revealed that she had graduated. "No more school for meee, hehehe," she posted. It was reported by Our Era Magazine that the teen musician collaborated with former 'American Idol' contestants Emyrson Flora and Paige Fish for a musical venture in Provo, Utah, in September 2022. “I’m really excited to actually release music. I’ve been writing some of my favorite songs I’ve ever done, and I can’t wait to share them with the world,” she told the publication.
Anderson quietly ended her 'American Idol' journey after performing Christina Perri’s 'Human' at the Aulani Disney Resort during the 'Hawaii' week. Seacrest made a special announcement right after: “You will notice there was no voting information during Kenedi’s performance just now. Since we taped these shows in Hawaii earlier, Kenedi (or Kennedy Anderson) has chosen to withdraw from our show for personal reasons. We send her well wishes." Fans were devastated. "This feels like a finale performance. The arrangement of the song, the band, her voice, everything was perfect. And to think this was just her top 24 performance," a viewer remarked. "She exited on a very high note, still a winner in so many people's eyes. Wish her the very best," a fan lauded with a heavy heart.