ABC Some fans think "American Idol" contestants Caleb Lee Hutchinson and Maddie Poppe have broken up.
Fans of “American Idol” are worried a longtime fan-favorite couple has broken off their relationship after a cryptic Instagram post.
Season 16 winner Maddie Poppe had been dating “Idol” runner-up Caleb Lee Hutchinson for years. They met as contestants on the show in 2018 and revealed that they were a real-life couple during the season finale.
Fans noticed that the two haven’t been appearing together on social media, however, leading one fan to ask on the “American Idol” subreddit if the two are still together.
Poppe Says She Is ‘Happy’
In a cryptic post during a question and answer session with fans, Poppe insists that she is still happy and that she’s happy a fan took the time to ask about her well-being.
Though the post was on Instagram Stories and has since expired, a fan shared a screenshot on Imgur.
“About 90% of these have been the same question over and over, but I’m not ready to talk about it yet tbh,” Poppe shared, likely referring to questions about her relationship. “I’m not upset with you for asking, I get it. I probably owe you it.”
She added, “But only one person asked this. And I think this is most important. Yes, I’m very happy. I’m being pushed out of my comfort zone daily which I think is so important.”
She shared that she is also writing songs that are “way too true” to her.
“Almost that I’m scared for people to hear,” she said. “Of course I have days where I feel lower than my lowest low, but overall, I know where I am is exactly where I’m supposed to be. And I’ve not felt that way in a long time.”
She did not confirm the split.
Hutchinson Has Not Commented on Poppe’s Instagram Since September
The contestants have been conspicuously absent from one another’s Instagram posts, and the last time Hutchinson commented on one of Poppe’s posts was September 30. The two do still follow one another on the platform.
During an episode of Hutchinson’s Green Couch Podcast, Poppe said she believed she was too young to get married after Hutchinson shared that he receives fan questions all the time about whether the two are engaged after four years of dating.
“I am young,” she said. “I am 24 years old. My parents had two children by this time in their lives. However, that was 1997, okay? Different world back then. Also, they are midwesterners and in the midwest it’s very common to get married at this age.”
She added, “I’m too young. I’m not ready for that.”
Poppe said she was “living a more LA and New York lifestyle” where people don’t get married until much later and might not have kids at all.
“Like that’s a normal lifestyle on the coasts, to be honest,” Poppe shared. “I don’t see any problem with me not being married or engaged right now.”
Hutchinson added, “Neither one of us are going anywhere.”
Poppe is currently on tour for Christmas.