Maddie Poppe and Caleb Lee Hutchinson's Love Story — Are They Still Together?
Maddie Poppe and Caleb Lee Hutchinson met as contestants on season 16 of "American Idol" -- Maddie won the contest, but Caleb won her heart.
In 2018, Maddie Poppe and Caleb Lee Hutchinson were two of the contestants in "American Idol," the hit talent contest that launched the careers of Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Fantasia Barrino, and Ruben Studdard.
By the show's finale, Maddie and Caleb, the favorites, were neck and neck for the first place. What the audiences didn't know was that the contestants were already in love. Maddie won the contest, but Caleb won her heart.
Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Maddie Poppe and Ryan Seacrest in the "American Idol" finale in 2018 | Source: Getty Images
LOVE AND LYRICS
Maddie and Caleb met in the highly competitive atmosphere of the contest, with stardom as the ultimate prize they were both striving for. Maddie was 20, Caleb 19, and somehow sparks struck between them.
The two singers were paired up for a duet, and by the end of their collaboration, the two singers were in love -- a secret that they would keep until the end of the season finale show.
Maddie is 23, and Caleb is 22 and they seem to have solidified and deepened their relationship despite the time they spend apart.
CHIMP CHARM
In a sweet post three years later, Maddie hinted that the two had fallen in love almost from the first moment they met. She shared a snap of herself and Caleb and captioned it:
"Three years ago today I captured his heart with my chimpanzee tee. We’d known each other for less than 24 hours."
REVELATION
On the big night, the season 16 finale turned out to be even more thrilling than fans were expecting. Before singing their duet in the last show, Caleb revealed that he and Maddie were in a relationship.
For the excited fans, the announcement of Maddie's victory almost took second place to the revelation that the two most promising young singers in America were as in love with each other as the nation was with them.
TRUE LOVE TODAY
Maddie declared in an Instagram post that she had never known what love truly meant and that she was looking forward to being with him in the future. Of course, that was three years ago.
Fans have been wondering how the relationship was holding up to the test of time. The romantics can rest easy: Caleb and Maddie are as in love as ever, working hard at their music and making plans for the future.
MARRIAGE PLANS
In 2019, Maddie had declared that she and Caleb were too young to think about a more serious commitment, but in April 2020, she stunned fans by posting the following statement on Twitter:
"It’s 1am and Caleb is making me waffles. I will marry this man."
OLDER AND WISER
Today, Maddie is 23, and Caleb is 22, and they seem to have solidified and deepened their relationship despite the time they spend apart due to hectic touring schedules.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made things more difficult for the couple, as it has for so many others, but love finds a way. Hopefully, one of these days, Maddie and Caleb will be announcing their wedding.
"AMERICAN IDOL" ROMANCE
Over the years, "American Idol" has launched many a brilliant career, but season 16 will be forever famous for matchmaking. Singers Gabby Barrett and Cade Foehner, who met at the same time as Maddie and Caleb, are now married.
The happy couple has now welcomed their first child together, daughter Baylah May Foehner, born on January 18, 2021. Let's hope Maddie and Caleb don't make their fans wait too long...