Caleb Kennedy talks his 'American Idol' experience, video controversy: 'I wasn't ready for it'

For the first time since his May departure from the show, Caleb Kennedy is opening up about his “American Idol” experience.The 16-year-old country singer began his “Idol” journey in October 2020 and eventually made it to the Top 5 before abruptly leaving the show after a controversial social media post resurfaced online. In a Snapchat post, Kennedy appeared beside someone wearing what seems to be a Ku Klux Klan hood. “Now that I’m home, I try to be me, but I’m also scared of someone videoing me when I go to Academy or Walmart. You have to worry about things like that now,” Kennedy told the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, on Thursday. While speaking about his time on the show, Kennedy admitted that he underestimated the pressures of performing on a popular show like “Idol.” “You think it’s all going to be fun, and a lot of it is, but it will slap you in the face really quickly. I wasn’t ready for it,” he said. “There’s no way to emotionally prepare for ‘Idol.’ Because no one is ready for it, no matter how you prepare.”However, he noted that he didn’t have regrets despite the challenges, adding “I did love it.”Since his exit, Kennedy said he is continuing…
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