Wyatt Pike, the 21-year-old singer from Park City, Utah, took American Idol by storm in its 19th season. With a promising talent, he quickly rose to become a fan-favorite, and many anticipated he would journey far into the competition, if not clinch the title. Yet, in a turn of events that left viewers and fans astounded, Wyatt abruptly exited the show. While initial rumors swirled around a possible conflict with judge Luke Bryan, they were later debunked. As Wyatt revealed, the actual reason stemmed from the intense pressures of music competitions and a desire to be recognized for his authentic music rather than just as a show contestant. Dive in to understand the detailed chronicle of Wyatt’s journey on American Idol and his life thereafter.
Who is Wyatt Pike?
If you haven’t watched the show, you may wonder who Wyatt Pike is. Here’s a quick overview of the life and musical career of the American singer who left American Idol.
Personal life
There’s not much information about his birth date, but he’s approximately 21 years old, as he was born in 2001 in Park City, Utah. Pike is a singer, songwriter, composer, and social media personality that became famous when he auditioned for the 19th season of American Idol last year. Wyatt’s parents are Heather Pike and Buster Pike, and he also has a younger sister called Hazel Pike, who sadly suffers from depression and mental issues.
The singer has shown interest in the entertainment industry since he was a kid; he used to sing and perform at family parties for the thrill. His parents saw his talent and enrolled him in a music school where he mastered his singing skills and learned how to play the guitar. Later on, thanks to his private singing classes that boosted his talent, he attended the Berklee College of Music.
Musical career
Wyatt started his musical career at the early age of 10 when he got the chance to participate in many school functions and some local talent programs. These performances and events helped him to develop his confidence on stage and gain real experience in the music industry.
Before joining American Idol, Wyatt was already quite popular thanks to his Youtube Channel, where he uploaded covers of some of his favorite artists. However, it wasn’t until April 30, 2020, that he released his first homemade album, ‘’Brand New Boy,’’ which contains five tracks.
Why Wyatt left American Idol?
Wyatt was probably at his best when he quit the TV show, so it’s not surprising that the audience kept wondering what happened.
Luke Bryan’s fight
At first, a strong rumor arose suggesting that on April 12, 2021, Pike got into a fistfight with judge Luke Bryan and allegedly caused him a black eye. Fans hardly believed this theory, but some people thought it was true as there were no more reasonable explanations regarding Wyatt’s departure at the time.
However, after a couple of days, the gossip was denied because it was discovered that Luke was resting at home after being diagnosed with COVID-19. Bryan’s wife, Caroline, took her social media to confirm the diagnosis and clear rumors amid the alleged fight between her husband and the contestant.
The real reason
Despite the crazy fans’ theories, a few days later, in April 2021, Wyatt broke his silence and released a short statement on Instagram explaining why he left. He stated that he left the program because of personal reasons but that he was thankful for his time there and the opportunity to reach more people with his music. Pike said he missed the contestants and the public a lot and won’t disappear from the public eye because he was planning more musical projects. Back then, his Instagram post was the only place he commented about this situation; he didn’t make more comments.
However, early this year, Wyatt released a new song called ‘’Deep Blue,’’ while promoting his work, and he finally spoke out his truth. During an interview with Park City NPR radio station, he revealed that he quit American Idol because he realized that music competitions weren’t for him. He felt massive pressure behind the scenes on every participant, and he couldn’t stand that anymore at some point.
The 21-year-old singer also mentioned that he didn’t want to be remembered just for participating in that competition as it happens to other artists. Instead, he prefers that people talk about his music and lyrics rather than the guy who dropped out of a talent program. Nevertheless, he clarified that his time on American Idol was an incredible experience that opened many doors for him and increased his fans.
Wyatt’s life after American Idol
Although Wyatt quit the show last spring, he didn’t give up his dream, and ever since, he’s been working on exciting new music and projects. He has been doing some solo concerts with American Idol’s ex-fellows Cassandra Coleman, Louis Knight, Casey Bishop, and Julia Gargano.
Following the release of his new song ‘’Deep Blue’’, Pike plans to release an EP before the year ends with the help of friend and assistant engineer Peter Hanaman. Wyatt is not signed under a record label, which is why he and Hanaman have been working independently for the last couple of months, and hopefully, we’ll have the album soon.
Summary
Although Wyatt abruptly quit the show when he was doing great and loved by the public, it’s understandable why he left. In those TV competitions, judges demand contestants to put too much effort and perfection during the performances, so it’s not surprising that the singer had to put his mental health first. Luckily, even though he didn’t make it to the final while being on the show, he demonstrated that he has incredible talent and a future as a singer, plus his fanbase increased. Hence, there’s nothing but wishing the idol the best of luck in his career.
