‘American Idol’: Why Did Julián Kalel Leave Season 23? His Exit & Return, Explained

Julián Kalel is one of the Top 30 contestants in Season 24 of American Idol. After impressing the judges with an original song in his audition, Julián continued to show his talent with a Bonnie Raitt hit during Hollywood Week, earning himself a spot in the next phase of the competition.

However, this isn’t Julián’s first time on American Idol. He actually auditioned in Season 23, but later quit the competition. Scroll down for everything we know about his journey.

How far did Julián Kalel make it on Season 23?

Julián’s audition from Season 23 never aired, although when he returned for Season 24, a clip from his time in front of Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, and Lionel Richie was shown. He performed an original song called “Surrender.”

“It talks about the struggles of anxiety and depression,” Julián explained. Underwood told him, “I felt like I was at your show just now. I did,” and Richie added, “It played like a record.” Bryan declared, “He’s a star.”

All three judges said yes to give Julián a golden ticket to Hollywood Week, and Bryan even told him, “You might win this thing. You literally might win it.” Julián said it was one of the “greatest moments of [his] life.”

That was as far as he went, though. Julián never made it to Hollywood Week, as he was “not able to continue forward.”

Why did Julián Kalel quit American Idol?

The teenager decided to leave the show before Hollywood Week to focus on his mental health. “There were shared concerns about my abilities to balance a journey like American Idol and my mental health,” he revealed.

Julián, who is 19, explained that he was diagnosed with anxiety and depression as a freshman in high school. “I had been struggling with those feelings for a big part of my life,” he admitted. “Through elementary and middle school. For me, anxiety is just like a big wave crashing on you and you just drown.”

Things got so bad that Julián began “questioning the value of [his] life.” That’s when “mental health professionals [got] involved,” and he decided to take a step back from the competition.

How is Julián Kalel doing now?

Julián got the help he needed and came into his Season 24 audition with a new outlook. He sang his song called “Lone Guitar,” which he said he “wrote at a crossroads when [he] was deciding whether or not to give up or keep going and found that it’s as simple as ‘stay one more day.’ That’s the message.”

After receiving another golden ticket, Julián declared, “I want to spread my message. You are loved and everyone is born enough. Everyone is, in fact, born enough.”

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When he got to Hollywood Week, Julián said he felt “proud of [himself] for making it here,” noting, “I’ve done a lot of growing, a lot of learning, and so this year, I’m feeling much more prepared and confident.”

American Idol, Season 24, Mondays, 8/7c, ABC