Kelly Clarkson Criticizes ‘Idol’ for Eliminating Contestant: ‘They Messed Up’

Original “American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson has revealed she’s disappointed with the show for letting one of her favorite contestants go home. When singer Hailey Mia attended the superstar’s Atlantic City concert on May 11, 2024, Clarkson stopped the show to talk with the teen singer as the crowd watched.

“Look, I love ‘American Idol,’ but they messed up,” Clarkson said from the stage, seen in a video from the concert that Mia posted to Instagram.

Clarkson knows Mia because the New Jersey native took fourth place on “The Voice” in 2021, with Clarkson as her coach. But on “Idol,” Mia only made it to the Top 24, eliminated after her performance in Hawaii.

Kelly Clarkson Says She Doesn’t Understand Why Hailey Mia Didn’t Get Further on ‘American Idol’

In the video Mia posted on May 13, someone captured footage of her waving to Clarkson after the Grammy winner asked if she was in the audience. Once Clarkson spotted her, she exclaimed, “Oh hi!”

“It was, like, so last minute,” Clarkson told the crowd. “I didn’t even know she was coming. I literally, like, saw the text right before the show…like, ‘I have tickets!'”

Turning to Mia, Clarkson continued, “I didn’t know you were gonna be in town tonight. I didn’t know where you were. You are so wonderful and, look, I love ‘American Idol’ but they messed up.”

Mia laughed and the crowd cheered before Clarkson added, “I was literally talking about it backstage. I was like, ‘I don’t understand.'”

“Me neither,” Mia shouted.

“Your voice is so incredible, you’re like the young Mariah Carey, I don’t know what — it’s like crazy,” Clarkson continued as Mia thanked her. “And I haven’t even been able to see her yet. But, anyway, thank you for coming tonight, Hailey. You are so incredible.”

Mia was just 13 when she performed in the Blind auditions for “The Voice,” winding up on Ariana Grande’s team. She later transferred to Team Kelly, coached by original “American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson. A trio of siblings known as Girl Named Tom won that season.

Luke Bryan Thought Hailey Mia Would Make the Top 10 on ‘American Idol’

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Mia, who was the youngest finalist on season 21 of “The Voice” at age 14, decided to try out for “American Idol” judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie two years later. After the high school junior sang her own rendition of Perry’s hit “Rise,” Richie said he was “blown away,” Bryan said he could see her in the top 10, and Perry said it gave her “chills.”

Mia received her golden ticket to Hollywood Week, and then sailed through the competition there, too. She moved on to the Top 24, and headed for Disney’s Aulani Resort & Spa in Hawaii, where she was mentored by Tori Kelly and sang Tate McRae’s “she’s all i want to be” for the audience there. But with the fate of the contestants in America’s hands for the first time, Mia didn’t receive enough votes to keep advancing.

After her elimination, Mia posted a photo of herself on the “Idol” set and wrote, “the end of one journey.. but it’s just the start to another <3”

Mia has since posted updates about working on new music and, on May 8, she shared video from an “Idol” rehearsal to reveal what she would have sung (“Used To Be Young” by Miley Cyrus) if she’d made it through the early voting.

Only three contestants remain on season 22 of “Idol,” which will air its live finale on May 19. Clarkson left “The Voice” in early 2023 when she moved with her kids from Los Angeles to New York, where she now hosts “The Kelly Clarkson Show.”