‘The Voice’ Contestant Tom Nitti Speaks Out About Leaving the Show: ‘I’ve Been Dreading This Day’

The Voice season 24 contestant Tom Nitti is opening up about why he left the show ahead of the Playoff Rounds.

The country singer was surprisingly absent from Monday’s episode, leaving his coach, Reba McEntire, one singer short as she narrowed her team down to just three performers for the live shows. 

“I have wonderfully talented people, but Tom had to leave for personal reasons, so I only have five artists tonight,” Reba shared  — though not much more was revealed about the surprising exit.

On Tuesday, Tom shared an Instagram reel full of pictures from his time on the show — as well as photos of his kids — and a heartfelt message promising that he’s “alright and still standing” and hinting that he left the show to spend more time with his family.

“Well, I’ve been dreading this day ever since the blind audition so here goes nothin’,” he began. “First and foremost I’m blessed beyond belief and I can’t say enough how much I love and appreciate the constant support from my fans, my friends and my family…As much as it absolutely stings to say, I had to make probably one of the hardest yet easiest decisions ever and ultimately at the end of the day, my kids will always come first and if I had to make the same decision again I’d do it over and over.”

“This past summer was filled to the max with everything I love and could’ve only dreamed of and Thanks to @nbcthevoice I was able to live my wildest dreams and do what I’ve always hoped. I made friends that’ll last a life time, experiences that I can hold on to forever and even found REAL and TRUE love (@ashleybryantofficial)…. I wish I can put every single person in this post that had my back going through the tough times while I was in California,” he continued, tagging many of his fellow Voice contestants, “but nonetheless I hope everyone knows how happy and grateful I am for them.”

“This isn’t the end of me and I’ll do what I do best for everyone to see which is keep my head down and move forward playing music and raising/creating new memories with a family I will continue to grow,” he concluded. “I never believed in the whole, things happen for a reason statement but in this case I think God has it all figured out. He knows I don’t break easily. For everyone asking, I’m alright and still standing. Thank you so much and as always, I’m super pumped to keep on keepin’ on with music, my kids Rayleigh and Brently my whole family to include my smokin’ girlfriend that keeps my head held high… Im more than ready to continue to live life now happier than ever before.  #familyfirst  #itsnotoveryet  #thevoice  #imstillstanding  #support  #blessed  #kentuckygotme.”

Reba was the only chair to turn for Tom’s cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” in the Blind Auditions. However, the singer continued to impress throughout the season. 

He won his Battle Round performance of Cody Johnson’s “Til You Can’t” and was saved by Reba following his Knockout Round cover of The Temptations’ “(I Know) I’m Losing You.”

With Tom’s departure, that meant Reba only had to eliminate two singers, sending home Noah Spencer and her Super Save singer Ms. Monet — and sending Jordan Rainer, Ruby Leigh, and Jacquie Roar to represent Team Reba in the live shows.

When ET spoke with the coaches ahead of the season premiere, Reba said that fellow coaches John Legend, Gwen Stefani and Niall Horan had welcomed her to the show “warmly, like a sister.” However, she noted that the friendly vibes go away when it’s time to get down to business.

“They’ve helped me, they’ve guided me and taught me, and then after I learned up to that point, then they say, ‘You’re on your own,'” she recalled.

“We still want to beat her,” John agreed with a laugh. 

The Voice airs Mondays at 8 p.m. PT/ET and Tuesdays at 9 p.m. PT/ET on NBC.

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