Kayko’s Top 12 performance of Gotye’s one-hit-wonder single, “Somebody That I Used To Know,” blew his live American Idol audience away. This Floridian pop/rock singer’s run on American Idol 2024 has been packed thick with plot twists, surprises, and a spark of star talent bright enough to glide through six rounds of the show so far. But some viewers have been railing against Kayko, claiming he’s an “industry plant” who’s stolen a top spot from some of the 22nd season’s most deserving artists.
Kayko (real name: Sam Kelly-Cohen) brought the unrefined force of rock to his Gotye cover. Against a punk rock arrangement, Kayko’s set kicked off with pure frontman energy, controlled yet recklessly unique, leaving judge Katy Perry’s mouth hanging wide open in shock. His confidence was unparalleled, adapting the mic stand into his choreography before flinging it into the shadows for a super high-energy performance.
His act was stunningly visual; Kayko’s moves stole the spotlight from his voice but, in places, disintegrated his ability to hit perfect pitches. After the mic stand held his first verse in place, traditional performance was abandoned for some captivating moves destined to win over the American Idol crowd. But while catwalking the stage and putting all his energy into his physical performance, Kayko failed to hit his top notes accurately.
While some American Idol viewers were left spellbound by Kayko’s authenticity as a live artist, others criticized the 23-year-old for not singing his song on-key, prioritizing looks and audience infatuation over actual musical skill, while accusing him of being an “industry plant” and a rigged contestant.
Kayko was never meant to be on American Idol in the first place — he appeared as a pianist accompanying his friend Abby Blake’s audition. But after Katy Perry seemed underwhelmed by Abby’s performance, she invited Kayko to audition as well. Both Abby and Kayko won Golden Tickets, proceeding to American Idol’s Hollywood Round. While Abby was eliminated at this stage, Kayko has so far progressed all the way to the Top 10, covering Radiohead’s “High & Dry” and The All American Rejects’ pop-punk hit, “Give You Hell,” amid his swathes of original tracks.
Kayko is a songwriter first and a singer second. This multi-instrumentalist and producer has unquestionable musical talent, composing “How To Live Without You” about his mother’s death when he was 19 years old and founding the band, Your Best Friend’s Favorite before going solo under the name Kayko. With his YouTube tagline reading “Intrusive thoughts but it’s alt-pop,” Kayko’s fresh take is inherently controversial yet unafraid. His audition has over 2.1M YouTube views and his Top 12 performance over 111k, winning popularity and controversy with his undoubtable originality as a pop-rock performer.
If you want to witness more of Kayko’s unforgettable performances and high-energy musical style then why not follow him on his journey. Subscribe to his YouTube channel, or like his Facebook page. For a more personal and behind the scenes look into his life, follow him on Instagram. And finally, don’t forget to check out his official website.