Country singer Tom Nitti has left the singing competition “The Voice,” but he wasn’t voted off.
Judge and mentor Reba McEntire announced at the top of the Season 24 episode Monday night that the up-and-coming vocalist was gone and would not be returning.
“I have wonderfully talented people, but Tom had to leave for personal reasons, so I only have five artists tonight,” McEntire said.
Show host Carson Daly also attributed Nitti’s absence to “personal reasons” during the episode, and no further explanation was given.
Tuesday morning, Nitti took to Instagram to explain his situation a bit, but still didn’t give a specific reason for his departure.
“Well, I’ve been dreading this day ever since the blind audition so here goes nothin’. … First and foremost I’m blessed beyond belief and I can’t say enough how much I love and appreciate the constant support from my fans, my friends and my family,” Nitti wrote. “As much as it absolutely stings to say, I had to make probably one of the hardest yet easiest decisions ever and ultimately at the end of the day, my kids will always come first and if I had to make the same decision again I’d do it over and over.”
Nitti made it past the blind audition section of the show after McEntire was the one judge to turn her chair as he sang Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours).” He then wowed the judges and viewers as he proceeded to the second round of the NBC program’s playoff stage.
“This past summer was filled to the max with everything I love and could’ve only dreamed of and Thanks to @nbcthevoice, I was able to live my wildest dreams and do what I’ve always hoped,” Nitti continued. “I made friends that’ll last a life time, experiences that I can hold on to forever and even found REAL and TRUE love [fellow singer Ashley Bryant].”
He added that he was “grateful” for his time on the show and promised that his leaving “The Voice” was not the end of his music career. “I’ll do what I do best for everyone to see which is keep my head down and move forward playing music and raising/creating new memories with a family I will continue to grow,” he said.
Nitti also addressed people’s concerns for his own well-being, sharing that he’s “alright” and “still standing” and thanking his family for helping him keep his “head held high.”
