It was great to see her back on American Idol.
Last week, Kellie Pickler returned to the reality TV show where she got her start, after taking a major step back from the public eye starting in 2023 after she suffered the tragic loss of her husband, Kyle Jacobs, when he was found dead in their Nashville home of an alleged self-inflicted gunshot wound.
His death was ultimately ruled a suicide, with no drugs or alcohol found in his system, though the autopsy report did note that Jacobs had a history of “pseudo seizures, gastrointestinal bleeding, elevated liver enzymes, and chronic alcohol use.”
Understandably, after her husband’s death, Pickler took some time to heal and made a return to the stage in March of 2024 for the Walkin’ After Midnight: An All-Star Tribute To Patsy Cline at the Ryman Auditorium. However, since that performance, she has not done any other performances. She’s been in headlines though, after a former CMT Awards date tried to sue her for poisoning him… but that was ultimately dismissed.
But during Idols special 20th High School Reunion-themed episode last week, Pickler returned, along with many other albums, and she performed with fan-favorite contestant Hannah Harper to sing “A Broken Wing” by Martina McBride, the song she sang in her audition.
Hearing Pickler perform the same song that put her Southern charm on the map 20 years ago is incredible, and it shows how she’s matured and grown as a musician. It’s wild to think that she appeared on American Idol at the young age of 19, and that appearance launched her career, followed by the release of her debut record, Small Town Girl, in the same year as her American Idol audition. Pickler solidified her seat at the table with this record, featuring hits like “Red High Heels” and “Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind,” and it proved that she was wise beyond her years with the deep cut “I Wonder.”
Pickler has had an illustrious career since her debut record, but never forgot her roots, and it was very fun to see her tip her hat to a performance that put her on the map. Both Pickler and Hannah Harper’s thick twangs and soulful delivery of the lyrics make this performance a standout of last night’s Idol episode.
And in her first major interview since the aforementioned passing of her late husband, Pickler seemed to be very happy to be back on Idol, telling American Idol podcast host Daniel Fishel (AKA Topanga):
“It’s just like come full circle, I guess. And 20 years, like you said, it’s so nice that each time you come back to Idol, it’s kind of like you pick up right where you left off with everyone. I hope people really believe me when I say this, it is a family here. It is an idol family.
And once you’re a part of it, it’s forever no matter what season you’re on. And so it’s really nice to come back and see so many of the same people that were working on the show 20 years ago.”
She also explained that she never could have imagined how her life would unfold after she become a star because of the show. Flying out to be on the show was the first time she ever got on an airplane, and somehow, in spite of all the tragedy she has face in her personal life, she says she’s “very blessed” for the last 20 years since she first appeared on Idol:
“I think just coming from such a small town and I’ve never really been anywhere. That was my first time getting on an airplane, flying to Hollywood. It’s the first time I flew across the country and experienced all of these first time moments with the world watching at the same time.
So a lot of people that watched my season were just kind of growing with me and watched me grow up on TV. And so it’s wild to think, wow, 20 years have passed and a lot’s happened and I’m very blessed. I’m very blessed.”
I’ve always liked Kellie, she seems like such a down-to-earth, sweet woman, and I’m also a little biased because she’s an Albemarle girl, coming from a small town in North Carolina not too far from where I grew up.
It’s impressive, to say the least, that she still maintains such a positive attitude and outlook on life, and it’s really great to see her back on the TV screen looking so beautiful and healthy considering the hell she’s been through over the last several years:
@americanidolWelcome home Kellie Pickler 💙 American Idol will always be your family New Podcast episodes every Wednesday on Disney+ and Hulu! And don’t miss the Grand Finale, live TOMORROW on ABC and Disney+!♬ original sound – AmericanIdol
You can watch Kellie and Hannah perform here:
The full podcast is available below.
