- Beckett addressed his departure on Instagram.
- Beckett is the son of Malcolm McDowell.
- Beckett is based out of California.
There was some mystery in the April 17 episode of American Idol when host Ryan Seacrest revealed that a contestant had left the competition, and first alternate Paige Anne was now going to be a part of the top 26. The contestant in question was Beckett McDowell.
Who is Beckett McDowell? The 19-year-old hadn’t been featured in the previous episodes of American Idol. HollywoodLife has rounded up everything you need to know about Beckett and his American Idol exit.
1. Beckett said it was his “choice” to leave American Idol.
On April 18, Beckett released a statement on his Instagram Story about leaving American Idol: “To all of you wondering, yes I was on @americanidol and I made the top 26. I’m not going to say why I didn’t decide to continue in the competition but what I will say is that it was my choice. I am forever grateful to my American Idol family and I will always look back at the experience with the utmost gratitude and fondness. Please go vote for my friends now as they continue on in the competition.” He is the second contestant who is the child of a famous celebrity to leave the show. Dave Stewart’s daughter Kaya Stewart exited during Hollywood Week.
2. Beckett has a famous father.
Beckett’s dad is actor Malcolm McDowell, who is best known for playing Alex DeLarge in A Clockwork Orange. Beckett’s mom is Kelley Kuhr, Malcolm’s third wife. Beckett is one of Malcolm’s 5 children.
3. Beckett teamed up with a famous musician and released an EP.
Beckett revealed on his website that his little brother, Finn, dropped off a CD of his original music at a neighbor’s house in 2019. The owner of the house was Pierre Bouvier, who is the lead singer of Simple Plan. During the pandemic, Beckett and Pierre teamed up to release the EP titled Weirdo.
4. Beckett grew up in California.
Beckett was raised in Ojai, California. He wrote on his website that Ojai is “where being weird and different is embraced.” At a young age, Beckett began singing locally in talent shows, wine bars, and open mic nights.
5. Beckett recently released a new single.
In February 2023, Beckett dropped his third single “Wildfire.” He collaborated with Pierre once again on this single. “@pierrebouvier and I worked incredibly hard on all of these songs and we are both insanely proud of the hard work we put in on them,” Beckett wrote on Instagram.