KAYKO
Season 22 · Eliminated (9th–10th)
Where are they now
KAYKO, also known as Sam Kelly-Cohen, finished in the top 10 of American Idol season 22. His singles include Time of Your Life, Love You Goodbye, Feel the Same with Kaibrienne, and Someone Like You. A December 5, 2025 show at the Gray Box Theater in Fort Lauderdale was scheduled as of September 25, 2025.
Career
- 2021
Time of Your Life came out on August 13, 2021, on Duetti. He later used the song for his American Idol audition.
- 2021
How to Live Without You came out on October 22, 2021, on YBFFB TUNES. He sang it on American Idol.
- 2024
Over You came out on February 16, 2024, on YBFFB TUNES. He sang it on American Idol.
- 2024
American Idol, season 22
Eliminated (9th–10th)
- 2024
By June 2024, Time of Your Life had one million streams.
- 2024
In July 2024, Love You Goodbye was number 36 on the iTunes pop chart.
- 2024
Love You Goodbye came out on July 12, 2024, on YBFFB TUNES.
- 2024
The Time of Your Life tour covered 14 dates, from August 30, 2024 at Reggie's Rock Club in Chicago through September 29, 2024 at Conduit in Orlando.
- 2024
On September 20, 2024 he announced the Young & Out of Love tour, 21 cities with Kaibrienne, Blake Proehl, and Haven Madison, scheduled from October 29, 2024 in Portland through November 27, 2024 in Los Angeles.
- 2024
Feel the Same, featuring Kaibrienne, came out on November 1, 2024, on YBFFB TUNES.
- 2025
Someone Like You came out on March 14, 2025, on YBFFB TUNES. Samuel Kelly-Cohen wrote it.
- 2025
As of September 25, 2025, he was scheduled to play with his band on December 5 at the Gray Box Theater in Fort Lauderdale.
More milestones
- Date not documented
After his elimination from American Idol, he released an emo version of Somebody That I Used to Know, with a video.
- Date not documented
He came to the American Idol audition as the piano accompanist for Abby Blake, and the judges then asked him to sing Time of Your Life.
Sources
- What Happened To Kayko After American Idol Season 22 — ScreenRant, October 25, 2024.
- From NBPS to American Idol: Kayko's Journey to the Spotlight — The Eagle Gazette, September 25, 2025.
- SOMEONE LIKE YOU by KAYKO — Shazam.
- List of American Idol finalists — Wikipedia, June 10, 2026.
- American Idol season 22 — Wikipedia, August 31, 2026.
- Apple album search for KAYKO — Apple.
