Hunter Metts’ elimination from American Idol left fans shocked and disappointed. The Mother’s Day special featured Coldplay performances from contestants, with the help of guest mentor Chris Martin. Only five artists were left standing at the end after dedicating tributes to their mothers. Fans were left with shock and disappointment when two favorites were eliminated, including 22-year-old Hunter.
Hunter took the stage with a strong performance of Coldplay’s “Everglow.” Fans hoped his angelic vocals would be enough to solidify his spot in the competition. The American Idol contestant sang an original song for his second performance. Hunter’s song “The River” showcased his vocal range. Although the notes were a little pitchy in places, Hunter’s emotion shined through.
A fan thread on Reddit revealed that fans were left shocked and disappointed after Hunter left, alongside controversial comeback winner Arthur Gunn. One fan shares that they used 30 votes for Hunter, “I tried my best! Decided last minute to go all in on Hunter tonight - gave him & only him all 30 votes I could.” Another fan shares that they used even more votes to try to keep Hunter in the competition, “I voted for him 190 times. It wasn’t enough 😢.” Some fans even declared their dedication to Hunter even after his elimination. One writes, “Going to miss him and genuinely sad he didn’t make it through. One of my fav contestants ever!!! Definitely plan on following his journey afterwards.” Another agrees, “I'm just going to support their career until the end. Goodluck to the rest of top 5.”
Hunter’s elimination was not the only thing fans were shocked and disappointed by. Hunter posted a farewell to his social media nearly minutes after his elimination from American Idol. This made some fans question, “I don’t know how I feel about him having posted on Instagram at 10:03pm tonight saying thank you and farewell. Dude was apparently on his Insta the second he walked off stage.” The concern for contestants to value their experiences over eliminations was stressed, “For their own mental health, I feel like these contestants should be coached to live a little, experience life, process things. They’d cry less.” This concern was echoed by another fan, “I’ve been feeling like these contestants have had their goodbye posts in their drafts before elimination even happens which makes me sad for them.”
Only one contestant can earn the title of American Idol. Fans were left shocked and disappointed when they realized Hunter would not be the next American Idol following elimination. Hunter’s supporters did not stop fans from committing to his musical journey. Some fans have gone so far as to declare their support for Hunter even after his departure from the competition. The reactions from fans proves that Hunter’s journey on American Idol turned out to be worthwhile after all.
Sources: Hunter Metts, Reddit