Kenedi Anderson is a former American Idol contestant who shocked the audience with her audition last season. She stunned judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan with her soulful performance of “Applause” by Lady Gaga.
She was awarded one of three platinum tickets for her talent and quickly became a fan-favorite. However, she recently left the show for “personal reasons.”
TikTok Snippet Reveals Her New Song
Kenedi Anderson debuted a new song on Wednesday, April 13, after leaving American Idol for “personal reasons.” Her TikTok video featured her singing a ballad about finding something better. Her fans were immediately speculating that she had signed with a record company.
In the past, social media virality has helped musicians achieve chart debuts. But that’s not always the case.
Previously, there were only two categories of musical artists that could potentially translate their social media virality into huge chart debuts: pop stars that have massive fanbases and rappers who drop albums with monstrous opening week streaming numbers (Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, etc.).
However, with the help of TikTok, music acts from all walks of life can now translate their social media virality into a chart-topping single. Examples include Lil Nas X’s “Montero,” Polo G’s “Rapstar,” and Morgan Wallen’s “7 Summers.”
Rumors Are Speculating That She’s Already Signed
When Kenedi Anderson left American Idol last season, she shocked her fans and left them wondering what went wrong. After all, she had already received one of the show’s coveted Platinum Tickets and wowed the judges with her audition.
However, she later pulled out of the competition due to “personal reasons.” Now that she’s back home in Crozet, Virginia, she’s busy working on her music career. She’s releasing a new song and has even played a concert with other American Idol alums!
But while her new song on TikTok has some fans speculating that she may have signed a record deal, it’s unclear whether or not she actually did. Regardless, she’s still working hard on her career and fans are so excited for her!
She Hasn’t Stopped Singing
Kenedi Anderson was one of the strongest contestants on American Idol Season 20. She wowed the judges with her audition and earned herself a platinum ticket that allowed her to skip the first round of Hollywood Week.
Her performance left Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie giddy with excitement. She earned a standing ovation from all three judges and went on to win over the audience with her soulful rendition of Lady Gaga’s Applause.
She’s since gone on to make a name for herself on the social media site TikTok. She shared a song preview with her followers which has left many fans speculating that she’s signed a deal with a record label.
The singer from Crozet, Virginia isn’t stopping her singing career anytime soon. She recently shared a video of her singing a song from the 2022 youth music album, and she’s also set to play a concert with several American Idol alums.
She’s Playing a Concert
Despite her abrupt departure from American Idol, Kenedi Anderson hasn’t stopped singing. The Crozet, Virginia, teen has posted music videos on TikTok, and she often sings acoustic covers of popular songs.
A verified user on the social media app, Anderson shares her music with her more than 135,000 followers. She also regularly performs her own original songs.
The Crozet teenager wowed judges in March, gaining her one of the three platinum tickets created for season 20. The ticket allows the contestants to skip a round of Hollywood auditions.
She has a lot of followers on her TikTok page, and she recently shared a video of herself performing. She says her style is a mix of singer/songwriter with a little pop and soul.
Anderson is a senior at Western Albemarle High School in Crozet. She hasn’t ruled out pursuing music after she graduates. She plans to attend college and go on a musical tour. Besides singing, she also studies computer science and math.