American Idolseason 22 Top 10 contestantKayko gained a huge fan following during his run on the show, and he’s been very busy with his music career ever since.Kayko, whose full name is Sam Kelly-Cohen, didn’t originally intend to audition forAmerican Idol.Instead, he was the piano accompanist for his friend, Abby Blake, but the judges–Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan–asked him to audition as well. He wowed them with his beautiful original song, “Time of Your Life.”
ThroughoutAmerican Idolseason 22, Kayko proved himself to be a phenomenal musician who almost exclusively sang original songs, including “Time of Your Life,” “What If?,” “How to Live Without You,” and “Over You.” In addition, Kayko sang “High & Dry” by Radiohead, “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye (ft. Kimbra), and “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus.Here’s what Kayko’s been up to since his incredible run onAmerican Idolseason 22.
Kayko Has Released New Music
Kayko Continues To Promote His Original Songs & Covers
SinceAmerican Idolended, Kayko has been busy promoting his original songs. In a July 2024 Instagram post,Kaykoannounced thathis new song, “Love You Goodbye,” was climbing the charts. He wrote,“okay but this song is 36 on iTunes pop charts right now… how crazy if we got to #1.”
20 Best Reality TV Shows Right Now
Reality TV is more popular than ever. With so many to choose from, here are some of the best reality TV shows to stream or watch right now.
After Kayko was eliminated fromAmerican Idol,he released his emo version of “Somebody That I Used to Know,” with an accompanying video. In a May 2024 Instagram post,Kaykoshared part of the video, with the caption,“I remember listening to this song in 6th grade history class and thinking it should be emo. So I did it 12 years later LOL.“In November 2024, Kayko released a song called “Feel the Same,” featuring his fellowAmerican Idolseason 22 finalist Kaibrienne.
Kayko’s Song Reached The One Million Streams Mark
“Time Of Your Life” Is A Huge Success
In a June 2024 Instagram post,Kaykoannounced thathisAmerican Idolseason 22 audition song, “Time of Your Life,” had reached the milestone of one million streams. This incredible achievement happened just a few months after Kayko sang the song on the show. In the comments section of the post, Kayko wrote,“Who’s ready to scream this song on tour.”
Kayko Has Been Touring The United States
Kayko’s Upcoming Tour Features Some Familiar Faces
In a July 2024 Instagram post,Kaykoannouncedhis first official tour, called the “Time of Your Life” tour, named after his hit song. The 14-date tour kicked off on June 02, 2025, in Chicago at Reggie’s Rock Club, and wrapped up on July 05, 2025, in Orlando at Conduit. In the promotional poster for the tour,Kayko described himself asa"Nashville Artist Accidentally on American Idol.”
In a September 20 Instagram post,Kaykoannounced another tour called “The Young & Out of Love Tour,” with co-headliners, Kaibrienne and Blake Proehl, who were Kayko’s fellowAmerican Idolseason 22 finalists, as well asAmerican Idolseason 21 finalist Haven Madison. The tour begins on June 16, 2025, in Portland, Oregon, and concludes on July 18, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. In the caption of the post he wrote,“SURPRISE!! We are going on TOUR!! The Young & Out of Love Tour is coming to 21 different cities this fall. We cannot wait to see all of you guys!!”
What Happened To American Idol Season 22 Winner Abi Carter After The Show?
American Idol season 22’s Abi Carter has been busy since she won the reality singing competition show in May 2024. Find out what she’s been up to.
SinceAmerican Idolseason 22 ended, Kayko has worked hard to continue his music career, releasing music and performing live. With his exceptional songwriting ability, outstanding vocals, and spectacular stage presence, he’s a true star. Since the show, he’s been working nonstop, which proves how dedicated he is to furthering his music career and fulfilling his dreams.Kayko has the potential to be one of the most successfulAmerican Idolcontestants of all time.
American Idol
Cast
American Idol is a reality singing competition that adds to the international “Idol” brand, conceived initially in the U.K. as Pop Idol. Holding massive auditions across the U.S., American Idol invited several contestants to perform in front of a panel of judges that would determine whether or not they’d go on to future rounds for a chance at competing in the fully televised premiere of the show. Contestants are voted off each week by American participation via voting through various mediums, and the winner of the competition would be given a contract with a record label to secure a future as America’s next musical idol.
