What Happened To Caleb Johnson After American Idol?

Caleb Johnson had the passion to pursue a music career since he was in middle school. He told LancasterOnline that a friend gave him a "Queen: Greatest Hits" CD and the rest was history. "That just kind of took me over the moon," he said. "I wore that CD out and was completely blown away by Freddie Mercury's voice and Brian May's guitar playing."

Years later, Johnson would go on to win Season 13 of "American Idol." According to ABC News, the Ashville, North Carolina native received a recording contract and a 2015 Ford Mustang. He also announced his debut album's release date and got to sing his new single onstage as the official Season 13 winner.

Johnson mentioned that it was "surreal" and "terrifying" when he was crowned the winner of the singing competition show. "It was so incredible and the rush of energy and everything that came with that was ridiculous," he told Entertainment Weekly. "To be honest with you, I didn't want to sing [my new single], because I was just completely exhausted." But it seems that there were other reasons why the Season 13 winner didn't want to perform that night.

Being an "American Idol" contestant can be a very rewarding, yet very stressful experience. On one hand, a contestant gets to showcase their talent on national television. On the other hand, the competition part of it is sure to take a toll on the contestant — physically and emotionally. "It's over, thank God," Season 13 runner-up Jena Irene said in a press conference after the finale, per The Hollywood Reporter.

For Season 13 winner Caleb Johnson, winning the singing competition show didn't live up to his expectations. In July 2022, Johnson lashed out at the show, and at the fact that he had to sing his new single as the official winner of his season. "I knew that, by de facto, if you won you had to sing the song, and the song was just utter crap," he told Insider. "Like it was just the worst song ever." The singer mentioned that he tried to convince the management company that he shouldn't sing the song, but they reportedly said it was like his "graduation present."

But Johnson has made it clear that he doesn't have any regrets about being on the show. "Being on American Idol was an amazing experience," he told Glide Magazine. "It's something I will forever cherish and it will truly have a special place in my heart." However, he has since set out to find his own sound after the show.

In 2015, it was reported that Caleb Johnson cut his deal with his previous record label, the label that signed him as the winner of "American Idol." The singer mentioned that he wanted to sign with someone who was going to let him take the reins on his music. "I want to find the right home and the right team of people that are going to get behind my music and really do something," he told Billboard.

The singer told Blue Ridge Public Radio that he was relieved when Fox canceled "American Idol" and his contract with his previous record label became "null and void." That gave him new freedom to pursue the music he wanted to create. "I wanna make music that I would listen to," he said, adding that he wants his sound to be similar to Aerosmith, Queen, and Led Zeppelin, which are the artists he grew up with.

After winning the singing competition show, Johnson toured with Kiss, Black Stone Cherry, and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, per his website. He also was able to release more albums after separating from his original record label. He aspires to "spread the gospel of rock-n-roll."