Another contestant has left American Idol, and this one is Malcolm McDowell’s teenage son

Three contestants have left American Idol in the past month, all for different reasons

By Sam Barsanti  |  April 19, 2023 | 12:11am
Aux News Malcolm McDowell
Another contestant has left American Idol, and this one is Malcolm McDowell’s teenage son
Beckett Taylor McDowell and Malcolm McDowell in 2005 Photo: Frazer Harrison

For the third time this season—hell, the third time this month—a contestant has decided to leave American Idol. The latest is 19-year-old singer Beckett Rex, who announced on Instagram this week that, while he did make it to the top 26 on the show this season, he has decided not to continue on with the competition. He specifically did not give a reason, even saying that he wasn’t going to give any more details, but he did note that it was “my choice” to leave and that he’s “forever grateful” to American Idol and will “look back at the experience with the utmost gratitude and fondness.”

That comes from Entertainment Weekly, which points out something even more interesting about Rex: Despite his nom de Idol, he is actually Beckett Taylor McDowell, the son of famous actor Malcolm McDowell. He even wrote a song about his dad:

Beckett: Pale Blue Eyes (Official)

It doesn’t sound like the show made a big deal about Rex, even before he left, but Ryan Seacrest announced on last night’s episode that one previously eliminated singer—a 16-year-old named Anne—will be brought back into the competition after “one of the top 26 decided to bow out.” (He’s not just some guy, Seacrest! He’s the teenage son of Malcolm McDowell!)

The previous two contestants to leave Idol this season were Sara Beth Liebe—who wanted to go home to her children, which had been a weird sticking point between her and judge Katy Perry—and Kaya Stewart—who felt sick for a while and didn’t feel like she could give the competition the energy it deserved. Both times, the show (or mostly Perry) insisted that the singers were making the objectively bad and wrong choice by abandoning their One Big Shot to be on American Idol, but if that rang hollow at the time, it especially rings hollow now. This kid is Malcolm McDowell’s son! He wrote an emotional song about his dad that almost has 80,000 views on YouTube! He probably doesn’t need American Idol.

 
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