“I am no longer gonna be on American Idol”: Caleb Kennedy exits show over controversial video of person in Ku Klux Klan hood

Caleb Kennedy singing his original song "Nowhere" during American Idol (Image via Instagram)

American Idol contestant Caleb Kennedy has departed the show in response to the backlash he received after a controversial video surfaced online recently. The 16-year-old singer was seen sitting beside a person wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood.

The brief clip with a bizarre caption, “Bow”, shows the teenage country singer alongside an individual concealing his identity with a Ku Klux Klan hood.

It was alleged that the Dorman student was subsequently blocking anyone who mentioned the aforesaid video in his Instagram comments.

A representative from "American Idol" confirmed that Kennedy will not be moving ahead as one of the top-five finalists. On May 12, the singer shared a statement about his exit on Instagram and apologized for his actions, saying:

“Hey y’all, this is gonna be a bit of a surprise but I am no longer gonna be on ‘American Idol,’” the post says. Readers can check it out below.

Kennedy’s mother, Anita Guy, spoke in defense of her son, claiming the video was taken when he was just 12 years old. Furthermore, she added that the country singer and his friend were in fact imitating characters from a 2018 horror film.

“I hate this has happened and how Caleb is being portrayed by people online, this video was taken after Caleb had watched the movie ‘The Strangers: Prey at Night’ and they were imitating those characters. It had nothing to do with the Ku Klux Klan, but I know that’s how it looks. Caleb doesn’t have a racist bone in his body. He loves everyone and has friends of all races.”

Who is Caleb Kennedy?

(R) Caleb Kennedy posing from his American Idol audition (image via Instagram)

The 16-year-old Caleb Kennedy is a country singer from a small town called Roebuck, South Carolina. The teenager gained stardom while making it to the top 5 finalists of the singing competition television series “American Idol”.

During Caleb’s "American Idol" audition in 2021, he sang his original song “Nowhere” for the judges. Caleb also revealed that writing his own songs was a regular habit for him. The singer aced the performance, with all the 3 judges voting “yes” to send him to Hollywood.

Caleb has also opened up about his past during his audition stating, “I kind of just lost myself and writing songs kind of helped me find who I was again.”

The singer shares a close bond with his mom, who also acts as his manager and books all his gigs.

“I’m very close with my mom, I love my mom very much. She’s believed in me ever since I started.”

Aside from his singing talent, Caleb Kennedy also played junior varsity football at Dorman High school. The teenager participated in summer football camps but gave up on the sport to go after his "American Idol" dreams.

So far, the internet has been divided, with many calling Caleb Kennedy's exit a justified action and others stating that a “child’s mistake” shouldn’t ruin his career. Following are some of the reactions online, as "American Idol" fans expressed their opinions over his exit.

With online support piling on, it’s still uncertain what could be in store for Caleb Kennedy in the future as social media continues to weigh in on his "American Idol" exit.