It’s been nearly two years since American Idol alum Kayko ended up “accidentally” auditioning on the series. Now, the singer has canceled his upcoming live shows for another opportunity, joining a show on Broadway!
American Idol Alum Kayko Cancels Tour to Join Hadestown Cast
On July 14, 2026, Kayko, who’s real name is Sam Kelly-Cohen, shared the news that he’d be cancelling his upcoming shows. At the time he couldn’t reveal the reason behind the cancellation, explaining that he was “sick” about it.
“I have to cancel my tour. That is a crazy sentence and it makes me sick even thinking about having to cancel all of these shows, but I have to cancel this tour,” he said via Instagram. “I just got an incredibly life changing opportunity. I just got an offer I could not say no to.”
At the end of July, Kayko updated fans again. This time, it was in a collaboration post with Hadestown on Broadway. Now, Kayko is set to make his Broadway debut was Orpheus on September 1, 2026. He is joining the cast of Jasmin Savoy Brown (Eurydice), Norbert Leo Butz (Hermes), Amber Iman (Persephone), and Geno Segers (Hades).
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Kayko is a Theater Kid at Heart
It is absolutely no surprise that Kayko is embarking on his Broadway career in 2026. Throughout this time on American Idol, Kayko always incorporated theatrical elements into his performances. He also was extremely open about his love of Broadway musicals, so many are thrilled to see him making his debut this fall.
Fellow American Idol alumni are seen in the comments of Kayko’s announcement, cheering him on. It’s clear that even the American Idol family knows this is a great opportunity for him. Among the biggest commenters was Season 22 winner Abi Carter, who wrote: “HOLY SH*TTTTT LETS GOOOOOOOO.”
Additionally, two fellow Top 10 finalists, Mia Matthews, and Kaibrenne shared their excitement for Kayko. They wrote “KAYKO!!! THIS IS SO SPECIAL!!!!! EEK CONGRATS!!!🩵🩵🩵🩵,” and “the most deserving human I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU” respectively.
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Other American Idol alumni in the comments were Haven Madison, who wrote “I’m losing my mind over this.” Thunderstorm Artis also commented on the opportunity with a simple “Let’s go!!!!!”
