Beckett Rex Confirms American Idol Exit: ‘It Was My Choice’
American Idol‘s Top 26 mystery has been solved.
Beckett Rex confirmed on social media Tuesday that he is the finalist who abruptly dropped out of the ABC singing competition, which led to Monday’s surprise return of 16-year-old Paige Anne.
In an Instagram story posted Tuesday morning, Rex, the 19-year-old son of A Clockwork Orange actor Malcolm McDowell, said, “I’m not going to say why I didn’t decide to continue in the competition but what I will say is that it was my choice. I am forever grateful to my American Idol family and I will always look back at the experience with the utmost gratitude and fondness. Please go vote for my friends now as they continue on in the competition.”
Rex did not actually appear in any Idol episodes (producers likely edited out his audition after he made the decision to leave).
Idol host Ryan Seacrest announced the switcheroo during Monday’s broadcast, although he did not reveal which singer Paige Anne was replacing. “Recently, one of the Top 26 decided to bow out of the competition, so we turned to the judges’ first alternate and gave her the life-changing news,” Seacrest told viewers.
“I said goodbye to Idol and everything, then I got invited back — everything happens for a reason,” Anne told this week’s guest mentor Noah Cyrus, who coached Anne through a strong take on her sister’s hit “Wrecking Ball.”
That’s the third dropout this year.
Could there be something else wrong?
The answer is that the winner’s contract is extremely unfavorable for the winner. When it looks like the person is going somewhere, one of the adults in the biz helps have a look at the contracts and immediately tells their family member to run.
On the other hand though a contract is a contract and Disney isn’t the worst company to form a connection with. Even pre-Mouse House Idol, we all know Clarkson was less than thrilled with her contract and the control exerted over her music for example, but would she have become the same superstar just making it on her own? Who knows? Dropping out over a lousy contract is a huge gamble in its own right. That said I could understand if he’s the son of Malcolm MacDowell, his dad could have Elton John and McCartney in his Rolodex. 😝
Paige Anne deserved to make it to the Top 24/26 regardless even if her performance on Monday was a little shaky.
It is odd to see so many dropouts this season. I think this highlights the positives and negatives of show business and particularly reality TV. Yes, it is an immediate path to 40k followers on Twitter, but it can be a grind on your mental health. This is not for everyone.
If American Idol didn’t want Beckett Rex to participate on idol then why was he one of the top performers going to Hawaii in the list of 26 and replace by another participant named Anne
Did you read the article? It was his choice to leave.
People are quitting that show like it’s a part-time job at McDonald’s.
They use the show for the recognition. For example, Dave Stewart (of the Eurythmics) appeared with his daughter Kaya in the auditions. She sang an original song from her new album. She went on to Hollywood week and quit the show. Now she is on tour to promote the new album and has more recognition from using the show as a platform for her music. Is it unfair or a smart move?
Unfair.
Think about that she took another contestant’s spot.