American Idol dropout, Kenedi Anderson, announces Mormon Mission break.
Vicious fan reactions caused her to close comments on Instagram, write a snarky dis song
Kenedi Anderson, a 2022 Platinum Ticket winner who dropped out of American Idol after the Top 24 taped it’s episodes in Hawaii, announced that she’s taking 18 months off to serve in a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, not all fans have been kind about her decision. Some comments alongside her videos were so rude, she had to turn them off. She finally posted a self-penned song, calling out her haters and hinting at death threats.
Kenedi’s initial announcement was made in a lengthy Instagram post, alongside of photos of herself holding the Book of Mormon, the church’s sacred text. Kenedi announced that she’s interrupting her musical pursuits to serve an 18 month mission, in which she’ll disconnect from worldly things to preach the word of LDS.
She writes: “I’ve chosen to serve a full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Dedicating 18 months of my life to serve my Lord and Savior is the least I can do after all God has blessed me with. I hope to return a more Christlike and charitable person. I also hope to help others find the joy and peace that I have found in this gospel. All I’ve ever wanted to do with my music, is to help others feel healed & heard the way that I’ve felt those things through music. So hopefully this is one step closer to that goal. I truly believe that this is where I’m supposed to be in my life right now and what I’m supposed to be doing.”
Kenedi promises fans “I AM NOT QUITTING MUSIC”
She assures her fans that she’s NOT giving up on music. “I AM NOT QUITTING MUSIC :)) I am taking a break to focus on what God has called me to do, but I will be back before you know it! And you better believe that I’ll be working harder than ever to put music out for y’all!!”
She finishes saying that she hopes fans respect her faith, and in return she respects whatever it is her fans believe in, even if they do not believe in God as she does. “The God that I believe in loves EVERYONE.”
Vicious fans led to Kenedi closing Instagram comments
But unfortunately…no. Some fans are not treating her announcement with respect. I’m hearing that some of the comments were vicious, especially after she posted a video of herself reading aloud from her “mission call.” The video itself was lighthearted. Kenedi reads the letter aloud as her younger brothers look on laughing and attempting to distract her. Apparently, she’ll serve her mission in Hawaii. Maybe the so-called “fans”are envious.
Kenedi reacts with a snarky song, hints at death threats: “…all the death threats are only from the sweetness of your heart, you’re just doing your part!”
The follow-up clip, which features snarky and pointed lyrics, displays a comment from a “fan” set in the corner of the video that simply reads “cult!”, presumably calling the Mormon church a cult, and Kenedi a cult member. The caption reads, “You should hear the other verses.”
The song goes, “Call me evil, cause I believe in Jesus, but all the death threats are only from the sweetness of your heart, you’re just doing your part! What an angel you are.” It continues, “Well, I’m sorry if you’re insecure and feel slightly insane, but I’m not to blame for all the things you can’t explain.”
Death threats?
Fellow American Idol alum, David Archuleta, also served an LDS mission
A decade ago, season 7 runner-up, David Archuleta, interrupted a music career in full swing to embark on a two year mission in South America. He left, and fans didn’t hear from him again until he returned in 2014! Maybe some fans feel like she’s abandoning her. Or maybe they aren’t fans at all, but trolls. Kenedi surely received words of support as well. I don’t remember such a strong negative reaction when David announced his mission. Fans wouldn’t get mean until he came out as queer years later.
David left his career because he was struggling with his sexuality, among other things. Oddly, Kenedi never explained why she dropped out of American Idol. She would have made the Top 10 easy if she had stuck around. I assumed she had better offers. But she never signed with a label and only recently released new music. Like it was for David, was the American Idol experience so overwhelming for Kenedi, that she decided to leave the opportunity behind? Only Kenedi can tell us. David stuck around to the end. But if he didn’t have a “stage dad” pushing behind he scenes. Who knows, maybe he would have dropped out as well.
