‘I am not watching anymore': Outraged ‘American Idol' fans blame MKY's elimination on ‘hatred toward the Latino community'
What was meant to be a celebratory night on American Idol Sunday took a shocking turn, as some fans were outraged after MKY — a 25-year-old Mexican-American from Los Angeles — was eliminated during the three-hour telecast and failed to advance to the Top 20. Viewers voiced their frustrations in the comments section of Gold Derby's live blog, with some calling out racism as the reason for MKY's dismissal.
"With so much hatred toward the Latino community are we surprised MKY got voted out?" Ray asked. "MKY deserved to move forward." Another user named Valerie screamed, "MKY to me had it all!!!! I am not watching Idol anymore...some of the singers did not belong there!!!" A third fan (Ginny) added, "MKY should've made the the top 10…not watching Idol anymore. He was by far one of the best singers in that competition. The judges' feedback on several who made it through made it pretty clear they shouldn't be there. Ask yourself…WHY????"
More from GoldDerby
'American Idol' fan-favorite Slater Nalley advances to the top 20 on Easter Sunday: 'Let your soul shine'
4 'American Idol' contestants eliminated as the Top 20 sing 'Songs of Faith': Who gave the best performance?
'RuPaul's Drag Race' finale recap: Did the right person win Season 17? Vote!
The Top 20 were selected based on votes from last week's Top 24 performances at Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa in Hawaii. MKY sang "Adorn" and received positive comments from judges Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan. "Every time we hear you sing we hear some new texture. I did not know you could sing that high, boo!" Carrie exclaimed. Meanwhile, Lionel called the hopeful a "seasoned pro" and Luke said MKY "owned that moment."
Following his performance last week, MKY finished in sixth place out of 12 performers in our poll asking "Who gave the best performance on Sunday, April 13?" For that reason, he was predicted to be safe this week. The other three eliminated contestants this week — Penny Samar, Kyana Fanene, and Grayson Torrence — all finished at the bottom of Gold Derby's polls from last Sunday and Monday.
MKY discussed his heritage throughout his American Idol journey. "Being a Mexican-America from East L.A., so much talent has been overlooked," he said before the Showstoppers round during Hollywood week. "I feel like this is my time. My family means everything to me. They're my backbone. They've all sacrificed a lot for me and my dreams. To me, this is an opportunity to give back to them."
"Music is definitely in my blood. It's in my DNA," MKY said at his audition. "My great-uncle was the first Chicano Mexican-American that was singing R&B soul music in the '60s. My grandfather sang with a soul group called Tierra, and my dad sings R&B soul. It's in me." Seen driving through Los Angeles, the singer stated, "Whittier Boulevard represents the Chicano culture to its finest. You come down on a Sunday, definitely expect to see tons of lowriders just cruising down. It's so beautiful. You got the palm trees, the classic L.A. Just a little taste of Mexican culture. My family has been chasing this dream, and they've passed it on to me."
MKY impressed the judges by singing "Ooh Baby Baby" by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles for his audition. Lionel called in his parents and told them, "You do know that from this point on, he not only belongs to you, he belongs to the world." Carrie added, "I feel like you've got all the pieces. I'm excited to see what you do in this competition." With three yeses, MKY's American Idol journey began.
American Idol will continue — without MKY — when the Top 14 are revealed and sing live on Monday, April 21 (8 p.m. ET on ABC).
Best of GoldDerby
'The Masked Singer' spoilers: Who is Boogie Woogie?
Vote for 'Survivor 50': The 3 new questions center around design, survival, and strategy
The 25 best reality-TV moments of the 2000s, from Sue's 'Survivor' speech to Snooki's 'where's the beach?'
Click here to read the full article.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Marvel Star, 38, Misidentified in Viral Video from L.A. Protests
Marvel Star, 38, Misidentified in Viral Video from L.A. Protests originally appeared on Parade. Actor was misidentified in a now-viral clip circulating from the ongoing protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Los Angeles. A representative for the Thunderbolts* actor, 38, confirmed to Entertainment Weekly on June 10 that the actor was not in the clip and are currently "working to correct the misinformation." In the viral clip on X (formerly known as Twitter), the man — who was actually identified as Aaron Fisher — spoke out to authorities and urged them to "Think about what you're doing now" during the protests and noted that they are "on the wrong side of history." "Your assault rifles and your sticks? You should be standing here with us," he said in the clip. "We know you got a job to do, but you took an oath to the Constitution, not to the fascists in the White House. Think about what this means." "Coming into our community, peaceful f---ing community — people working their jobs," he continued. "They're sending men in military fatigues, weapons of war. And you stand here and you allow it . . . do you think any of these people in the White House sending you these commands give a f--- about you?" The ongoing protests in Los Angeles began on Friday, June 6 after ICE agents carried out raids in heavily Latino parts of the city — including downtown L.A. In response to the protests, President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard, a move which escalated the protests and has been heavily criticized by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 In a statement to Entertainment Weekly, Fisher told the outlet he "found the mixup to be pretty humorous, and glad it helped to amplify the message" amid the ongoing protests. "The proliferation of the words themselves, and the movement behind it, is what matters most," he continued. "The deployment of the National Guard against the wishes of our Governor is dangerously un-American, and I will continue to peacefully protest in my community."Marvel Star, 38, Misidentified in Viral Video from L.A. Protests first appeared on Parade on Jun 10, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
How China wins in the new propaganda war
American influencers are flooding China to show off its technology and culture — while the US has expelled the world's most-followed TikToker. A new Chinese initiative will pay for US influencers to visit and collaborate with local counterparts, according to Chinese state media, which said the program would boost cultural exchange. It's an investment in soft power and a propaganda coup: State outlets praised recent visits from Western influencers like IShowSpeed (whose six-hour YouTube video on his Shenzhen visit has nearly 9 million views) for showcasing 'authentic' life in China, Bloomberg wrote. The US' immigration crackdown, meanwhile, is pushing out influencers. The Italian citizen Khaby Lame, the world's most popular TikToker, was recently detained by US authorities and left the country after being reported by a rival influencer who is friends with President Donald Trump's son Barron.
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Jessica Simpson Spotted Hyping Up Ashlee Simpson's Racy Photos Ahead of Celebration
Jessica Simpson Spotted Hyping Up Ashlee Simpson's Racy Photos Ahead of Celebration originally appeared on Parade. Jessica Simpson is her sister, Ashlee Simpson Ross', biggest fan. The singing sisters have a lot in common, having grown up in the music business. Despite both of them working on new projects lately, there seems to be no animosity or competitiveness between them. Instead, Jessica has become her little sister's biggest cheerleader as Ashlee promotes two 20th anniversary shows this summer in Las Vegas. She'll perform on two different nights at the Voltaire in the Venetian resort, two decades after the release of her album, I Am Me. In the latest photo, Ashlee can be seen showing off her flexibility while wearing a sheer black corseted one-piece with sheer leggings and platform stilettos. Her caption announces, "I'm ready." In the comment section, Jessica wrote, "Hotter than EVER! People have no idea what they are in for. Makes me so happy eeeeeek ❤️🔥." In another photo shared by the younger Simpson sister, she can be seen holding back damp hair with both hands, with her smoky eyes fixed on something in the distance. The photo is black and white, just like the latest, making it feel intense. This time, the caption said, "You keep me coming back for more. ✨" Again, Jessica was spotted in the comments. This time, she wrote, "I can see that beautiful fire in those eyes! It is GO time and I couldn't be more proud of you❣️✨💫🙌🏻." There are only three posts on Ashlee Simpson's Instagram, and the oldest one, posted nearly a week ago, announced her upcoming shows. Fans can buy tickets now and catch her performing on Friday, August 29, and Saturday, August 30, upcoming performance follows her big sister Jessica's comeback, which included an exciting return to the TV stage for the American Idol finale that left fans in awe. Following that performance, Jessica penned a very personal message to fans, proving that celebrities are human, too, and that she was very nervous to be on stage again. Jessica Simpson Spotted Hyping Up Ashlee Simpson's Racy Photos Ahead of Celebration first appeared on Parade on Jun 10, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
