Following the death of her husband Kyle from suicide, Kellie largely retreated from the spotlight. Now, as she slowly makes her return to a more public presence, she’s grateful for everything Idol has given her. 

“Coming from such a small town, never really been anywhere,” she said of her time on season five of the show. “That was my first time getting on an airplane, flying to Hollywood, and experience all these first time moments with the world watching at the same time.”

Now, two decades later, “it’s wild” to think about, she admitted, adding, “A lot’s happened, and I’m very blessed.”

Kellie returned to the Idol stage on May 4 to duet with the current season’s eventual winner Hannah Harper, who was crowned during the May 11 finale. 

During her time back on the show, Kellie and Hannah performed Martina McBride’s “A Broken Wing,” which Kellie originally performed while auditioning for the series in 2006.

"I'm an antique Idol dustin' off," Kellie joked after the performance, adding to Hannah, "Being able to share the stage with you has been such a blessing."

And the performance was a rare one; the last time Kellie took to a public stage was during a Patsy Cline tribute in 2024 at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium. At the time, the performance also marked her first time back onstage since the passing of her husband.

"I'd be lying if I didn't say I was not incredibly nervous right now," she admitted to the crowd, as seen in a TikTok video shared by Music Mayhem Magazine at the time. "It's been the first time I've been up on stage in a while. I will say that I am incredibly honored to be a part of honoring Miss Patsy Cline. She is a huge reason why I fell in love with music." 

For more insight into where American Idol alums are today, read on.