The next American Idol will not be a Canadian.
Lauren Spencer-Smith’s journey on American Idol ended on Sunday night’s episode after she failed to get enough votes to advance to the next round of competition. Host Ryan Seacrest said 36 million votes were cast.
The 16-year-old singer from Nanaimo, B.C., who was the first Canadian to make it to the Top 20 on American Idol, wrote on Instagram after the show that she “wouldn’t trade being apart (sic) of this season for anything.”
Spencer-Smith shared: “I wanted to thank each and every one of you for voting for me and supporting me. I am so appreciative to everyone who took the time to vote and tune into the show.”
American Idol opened auditions to non-U.S. hopefuls for the first time this season (although Canadians are not allowed to vote for their favourites). Spencer-Smith has said she was contacted by a casting agent about trying out for the show. She auditioned for celebrity judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan in November at Oregon’s Sun River Resort with P!nk’s “What About Us.”
Spencer-Smith made it through “Hollywood Week” in December and was picked for the Top 20 after performing Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” in Oahu, Hawaii in January.
Idol shut down production in mid-March due to the COVID-19 outbreak just as the live shows were about to begin. Instead, finalists are performing from their homes. (On last week’s episode, the judges raved about the beauty of Spencer-Smith’s Vancouver Island backdrop after she belted out Jessie J’s “Momma Knows Best.”)
The show never told viewers that Spencer-Smith released an album, Unplugged, Vol. 1, which was nominated this year for a Juno Award.
"This is not the end for me and I’m so excited for what the future holds,” she wrote Sunday, “and I’m excited to continue my journey and career in music!”