Wyatt Pike, a 20-year-old young guy from Utah, had already won people’s hearts during the tryouts for American Idol 2021 when he played his own song.

The teenage singer’s decision to pursue a career in music was a dangerous one. Regardless, he withdrew out of business school seven days before his orientation to focus solely on music, with his parents’ full support.

The newly minted celebrity spoke with the Deseret News about his journey from business school to music school to American Idol.

From Business School to Music School, we’ve got you covered.

Pike had always been interested in music, having been influenced by musicians such as Anders Osborne and Phoebe Richards. The Utah vocalist has been playing guitar and doing gigs since he was a child.

Pike had planned to walk out of high school when he was just a sophomore, influenced by Ed Sheeran’s success, but he stayed following his parents’ advice.

When he got to college, he decided to stop studying. He had intended to major in business in college because it was a safer option than music.

The singer had also registered in the College of Charleston but dropped out at the last minute after realizing he would never be happy doing something he didn’t care about.

His understanding parents supported his decision and encouraged him to pursue his dreams. Pike returned to work in his hometown after taking a year off.

He began his career at a Park City radio station and landed his first job in a ski lounge. The vocalist, who has always been interested in songwriting and production, released his debut extended play record (EP) in 2020, titled Brand New Boy.

In the thick of it all, Pike applied to Berklee College of Music to pursue a professional singing career. The 20-year-old, however, has been taking virtual lessons due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The road to American Idol is long and winding.

Pike was discovered by American Idol casting agents through his social media broadcasts during his second semester online. He did covers of Rihanna and Black Keys songs for his preliminary audition.

During the epidemic, he auditioned from his apartment room; but, for his formal auditions, he traveled to Ojai, California.

Pike took a huge risk thereby performing his original song, “Best for You,” which he had written for his younger sister, Hazel. The Utah singer wrote the song for strength after his sister’s fight with mental illness and his own worry.

He explained that he sang his original song because it reflects who he is and how he feels, and he wanted the judges to share his feelings.

Pike wowed all three of the season’s top judge panels, including Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie, and received a resounding ‘Yes’ from all of them.

Pike resigned from American Idol due to personal reasons.

Pike had made it to the Top 12 in season 19 of American Idol because to his outstanding performances. However, on April 12, 2021, host Ryan Seacrest announced that the 20-year-old had departed the show during the first live performance of the season.

On April 15, Pike turned to Instagram to address the same issue. He shared the bad news by posting a photo of himself.

The musician expressed his regret for leaving the program due to personal issues and wished the remaining contestants luck. He also expressed his gratitude by thanking the show for the opportunity as well as the fans for their love and support.