Everything to Know About Mor Ilderton on ‘American Idol,' and Why He Left ‘The Voice’

If you tuned into Season 24 of American Idol, which premiered on Jan. 26, 2026, you probably became acquainted with contestant Mor Ilderton (real name Clarence Morton Ilderton IV) and the tragic story of how his mom died.

But here’s the thing, this isn’t Mor’s first rodeo with reality TV competition shows (so if you thought you recognized him, you did). He was actually a contestant on Season 26 of The Voice, which aired in 2024. However, he unexpectedly dropped out after being saved by one of the judges. Here's what to know more about Mor, why he left The Voice, and the tragedy that inspires his music.

Mor Ilderton’s story isn’t exactly the brightest of the bunch, but it does have a silver lining. When he was just two2years old, his mother was killed at the hands of his father. Per the West Virginia Gazette, she was strangled by his father in an act of domestic violence.

Mor’s mom, Robin R. Bailes-Owsley-Ilderton, was only 35 years old when she passed away on Oct. 9, 2005. She was a graduate of Nitro High School and attended West Virginia State University, per her obituary.

So, at just 2 years old, Mor was taken in by his grandmother, who raised him until he was 18, he shared in a 2024 interview when he was appearing on The Voice. At that point, he decided to move in with his aunt and uncle. Mor also shared that his uncle Josh did five years in the Marine Corps, and is someone he considers “a superhero.” But most importantly, he says his aunt and uncle treat him like a son, adding, “I wouldn’t be here without them.”

What’s interesting about Mor’s story, though, is that he didn’t really start singing until around 2022 after getting grounded. With all that newfound time on his hands, he decided to start playing guitar and dabbling in vocals. Some of his favorite music includes “indie folk and mountain music.” So, you could say he’s still very new to the industry.

Fast forward to his American Idol audition in 2026, and that’s when we saw Mor perform a song about the first time he saw a picture of his mom and how it completely flooded him with emotion. He delivered all of that through his original song titled “Strong.” And it would seem Mor definitely left a lasting impression on the judges (and viewers) with both his story and talent because he advanced to the next round of the competition.

Mor hasn’t revealed the exact reason why he left The Voice, but it was definitely unexpected. You see, Mor had been accepted onto Michael Bublé’s team, and just as he was about to be cut after the Battle Rounds, Gwen Stefani saved him by stealing him.

But then, he abruptly left. Now, there have been a few rumors floating around that he was kicked off the show, but that hasn’t been confirmed by the network, or even by Mor himself.