Stars Who Were Rejected by ‘American Idol’ and ‘The Voice’: Maren Morris, Tori Kelly and More

Credit: AFF-USA/Shutterstock

Stars Who Were Rejected by 'American Idol' and 'The Voice': Maren Morris, Tori Kelly and More

If only they’d known! Maren Morris, Luke Combs and Tori Kelly are among the stars who’ve been turned down by singing competition shows before their big breaks. Morris shared a picture of her American Idol audition ticket from 2007 via Instagram in July 2022. “I didn’t make it past the first-round cattle call,” the “Bones” songstress admitted in the caption. “I wasn’t really into sports growing up, but this feels like the equivalent of your mom saving your 10th place trophy. 😂🏆.” The Grammy winner’s experience with rejection didn’t end there. During a March 2019 appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, a caller asked the Texas native how she felt about not making it on American Idol and The Voice. Morris replied: “That’s not even it. I was rejected from, like, America’s Got Talent [too]. There were a ton that I didn’t make it to.” Despite her reality TV setbacks, the “Middle” singer is happy with the way things turned out. “People cover my songs for their auditions on those shows [now], so it's like, not only is it really nice to have my song on a national television show — but [I also] get to collect the check and have some sweet revenge,” she joked. [sendtonews type="float" key="Ap6dc7DOVO-2828730-14453"] Combs, for his part, recalled going through several rounds of auditions for The Voice producers during a June 2022 appearance on the “Full Send” podcast. “I tell them I want to do a country song, and they are like, ‘Oh, well, you didn’t sing country before.’ I’m like, ‘So, I have to sing one kind of [music]? The show is just about being a singer.’ There’s got to be some sort of angle,” the “Going, Going, Gone” crooner explained. He continued: “I got a letter back after the next audition — which, I made it through — and they told me, essentially, I was too boring to be on television. … I didn’t make it to the show. I still have the letter in storage that’s like, ‘You’re a great singer, but … .' Essentially, it’s about ratings, right?” While Combs’ rebuff wasn’t necessarily about talent, Kelly’s voice was deemed “almost annoying” by judge Simon Cowell during her 2010 audition for American Idol. The “Unbreakable Smile” artist received positive feedback from the other judges and progressed to Hollywood week but failed to earn a spot in the top 24. The California native talked about the experience during a September 2019 appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show. “I don’t regret anything and I think Simon is cool,” she said. “No hard feelings. I actually should thank him because it all happened for a reason.” Scroll down to see all the stars who’ve been rejected by American Idol and The Voice:

Credit: AFF-USA/Shutterstock

Stars Who Were Rejected by 'American Idol' and 'The Voice': Maren Morris, Tori Kelly and More

If only they’d known! Maren Morris, Luke Combs and Tori Kelly are among the stars who’ve been turned down by singing competition shows before their big breaks. Morris shared a picture of her American Idol audition ticket from 2007 via Instagram in July 2022. “I didn’t make it past the first-round cattle call,” the “Bones” songstress admitted in the caption. “I wasn’t really into sports growing up, but this feels like the equivalent of your mom saving your 10th place trophy. 😂🏆.” The Grammy winner’s experience with rejection didn’t end there. During a March 2019 appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, a caller asked the Texas native how she felt about not making it on American Idol and The Voice. Morris replied: “That’s not even it. I was rejected from, like, America’s Got Talent [too]. There were a ton that I didn’t make it to.” Despite her reality TV setbacks, the “Middle” singer is happy with the way things turned out. “People cover my songs for their auditions on those shows [now], so it's like, not only is it really nice to have my song on a national television show — but [I also] get to collect the check and have some sweet revenge,” she joked. [sendtonews type="float" key="Ap6dc7DOVO-2828730-14453"] Combs, for his part, recalled going through several rounds of auditions for The Voice producers during a June 2022 appearance on the “Full Send” podcast. “I tell them I want to do a country song, and they are like, ‘Oh, well, you didn’t sing country before.’ I’m like, ‘So, I have to sing one kind of [music]? The show is just about being a singer.’ There’s got to be some sort of angle,” the “Going, Going, Gone” crooner explained. He continued: “I got a letter back after the next audition — which, I made it through — and they told me, essentially, I was too boring to be on television. … I didn’t make it to the show. I still have the letter in storage that’s like, ‘You’re a great singer, but … .' Essentially, it’s about ratings, right?” While Combs’ rebuff wasn’t necessarily about talent, Kelly’s voice was deemed “almost annoying” by judge Simon Cowell during her 2010 audition for American Idol. The “Unbreakable Smile” artist received positive feedback from the other judges and progressed to Hollywood week but failed to earn a spot in the top 24. The California native talked about the experience during a September 2019 appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show. “I don’t regret anything and I think Simon is cool,” she said. “No hard feelings. I actually should thank him because it all happened for a reason.” Scroll down to see all the stars who’ve been rejected by American Idol and The Voice:

Credit: David Fisher/Shutterstock

Bebe Rexha

The “Me, Myself & I” singer revealed to Ryan Seacrest and Randy Jackson that she’d previously failed to make it to the judging round of American Idol auditions after performing on an August 2017 episode of Live With Kelly and Ryan. The New York native revealed that she waited "12 hours" in line only to be rejected.

Credit: AFF-USA/Shutterstock

Maren Morris

The “My Church” songwriter admitted during a January 2019 WWHL appearance that American Idol, The Voice and America’s Got Talent had all turned her down.

Credit: Earl Gibson III/Shutterstock

Amber Riley

The Glee alum auditioned for American Idol in 2003, when she was 17 years old.

“I feel that it was completely necessary,” Riley told Distractify in July 2021 of not making it onto the competition show. "There's a moment in your life that comes where you're going to have to figure out if this is what you really want to do. I always say that it was the ‘no.’ I needed to know that this is what I'm going to go after for the rest of my life.”

Credit: Broadimage/Shutterstock

Naya Rivera

Riley isn’t the only Glee star with a reality TV rejection in her past. The late Grammy nominee revealed on a March 2013 episode of The Talk that she “didn’t make it past the first round” of American Idol auditions. However, Rivera later had success with the same audition song — “Emotion” by The Bee Gees — while trying out for Glee.

Credit: AFF-USA/Shutterstock

Luke Combs

"They told me, essentially, I was too boring to be on television,” Combs said of his experience auditioning for Voice producers during a January 2022 appearance on the “Full Send” podcast.

Credit: Gregory Pace/Shutterstock

Colbie Caillait

The “Bubbly” singer said she was “glad” that she didn’t make it on to American Idol during a 2010 interview with USA Today.

“I wasn’t ready for it at all,” she admitted. “I was shy. I was nervous. I didn’t look the greatest. I wasn’t ready for it yet.”

Credit: imageSPACE/Shutterstock

Maddie Poppe

Poppe went on to win season 16 of American Idol in 2018, but before that, she auditioned for The Voice — and none of the judges turned their chairs around for her.

 “I was totally rejected on national TV and it was really embarrassing,” the singer told the Deseret News in October 2019. “It was so discouraging, and I thought, ‘Man, if these people don’t like me, then no one will.’” 

Credit: AFF-USA/Shutterstock

Tori Kelly

Although Cowell called the Grammy winner’s voice “almost annoying” during her 2010 American Idol audition, Kelly insisted to Kelly Clarkson in 2019 that she harbors “no hard feelings” toward the X Factor creator. 

Credit: Jim Ruymen/UPI/Shutterstock

Chrissy Metz

Before starring on the NBC drama This Is Us, Metz auditioned for American Idol in 2007.

“I was married at the time, and my husband was so, so kind to go with me and sit for hours and hours at the San Diego Chargers stadium in the sun. I got third-degree sunburn on my legs, just hanging out, just being patient enough to even audition,” the Breakthrough actress recalled on SiriusXM’s Volume in October 2020. “And then, when it's your turn, there's like five people in five rows, and you get about 30 seconds to sing or try to show what you're capable of.”

Metz added that, in hindsight, “I don’t think I could have hacked it. … So, the universe knew what it was doing.”

Credit: MediaPunch/Shutterstock

Hillary Scott

During a May 2012 interview with HLN, the Lady A frontwoman opened up about getting a “no” from American Idol twice.

"I think I remember shedding a few tears, just knowing that I hadn't performed at my best, because I was so nervous," the Tennessee native shared. "It's nerve-wracking, but honestly, I would go back and do it in a heartbeat. I have no regrets."