Wyatt Pike Breaks His Silence After Unexpected American Idol Exit

Wyatt Pike is moving on from American Idol for an important, but private reason.

The singer, who wowed judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan when he performed an original song dedicated to his sister during his audition, made it to the top 16 in the competition when host Ryan Seacrest revealed that he had surprisingly dropped out, citing "personal reasons" for his exit.

On April 14, Wyatt took to Instagram to break his silence about the show, but did not provide any additional details for leaving American Idol so abruptly.

"I had to leave the @AmericanIdol competition for personal reasons but am so thankful I get to play music for the rest of my life," the 20 year old shared. "Fellow contestants - miss you all, good luck! Thank you to everyone for your support… do stick around for more musical things soon!"

In the comments section, many followers noted they were saddened by Wyatt's decision, but said they would continue to support the artist in all his future endeavors.

American Idol: Where Are They Now?

"You are going to do big things!!" one fan wrote. "I'll always be rooting for you" Another added, "Wyatt- happy you did what you needed to do. But will miss you! I was rooting for you all the way. Most talented musician by far!!"

A third wrote, "Can't wait to see what comes next Wyatt."

During his time on American Idol, the singer was able to perform with the musician Ben Rector.

"@Ben_Rector is a genuinely kind and inspiring dude," Wyatt wrote on Instagram on April 8. "I'm so happy to be performing with him TOMORROW NIGHT on @AmericanIdol! Ben - thank you."

He also shared his appreciation for the American Idol journey, writing in an April 7 Instagram post, "Something to feel this through: home. Thankful for the rollercoaster I'm on today."