Frontrunner Kenedi Anderson Pulls Out of 'Idol' Competition

American Idol Season 20 returned on Monday (April 11) for night two of its Top 24 — or Top 23 now, as one contestant has officially dropped out of the competition. Kenedi Anderson has chosen to walk away from the show, citing "personal reasons" as her decision for the departure.

Anderson announced her decision to leave the show with a post on social media. American Idol still chose to air Anderson’s final performance as part of the Top 24 Live Shows, which had her singing a dreamy rendition of Christina Perri’s "Human."

"You will notice there was no voting information during Kenedi’s performance just now," long-running host Ryan Seacrest said in a clip that came after Anderson’s performance. "Since we taped these shows in Hawaii earlier, Kenedi has chosen to withdraw from our show for personal reasons. We send her well wishes."

"For personal reasons, I'm unable to continue on American Idol," the budding singer notes on Instagram. "This has been one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make, but I know it’s necessary. I’m so grateful to American Idol, the judges, the producers, the amazing contestants, and all the fans who have supported me.”

“Thank you for giving me such an amazing opportunity to share my voice, chase my dreams, feel so much joy and happiness doing what I love, and making lifelong friends along the way,” Anderson writes, closing out her statement.

The 17-year-old Virginia native has been a fan favorite since the beginning of her journey on American Idol. She auditioned for the judges with Lady Gaga’s “Applause,” performing the song on the piano, which earned her high praise from all three celebrities, including Katy Perry, who half-jokingly offered to be her tour manager.

Luke Bryan, meanwhile, remarked at the time that Kenedi Anderson "might be the biggest star we’ve ever seen."

Anderson is the first female dropout in the history of the reality competition show. American Idol airs Sundays and Mondays on ABC.

Country Singers You Forgot Got Their Start on Reality TV: