‘American Idol’: What Is Kellie Pickler Doing Now? Updates on Season 5 Star’s Life Today

WARNING: The following post contains discussions of suicide. 

Kellie Pickler will be making a monumental return to the American Idol stage on May 4. It will be her first televised appearance since her husband, Kyle Jacobs, died more than three years ago.

Pickler will be returning to the show alongside some of the other finalists from Season 5 of American Idol. The group will be performing with this year’s Top 5 and celebrating the 20th anniversary of their season.

In 2006, Pickler finished in sixth place on American Idol, then went on to begin her country music career. Taylor Hicks, who won the season, will also be part of the 20-year reunion.

Ahead of her Idol comeback, scroll down for updates on what Pickler is up to today.

What is Kellie Pickler doing now?

Pickler has been living life mostly out of the public eye while grieving the February 2023 death of her husband (more on that below). She has only performed publicly one time since Jacobs’ death (in April 2024). Pickler took part in a Patsy Cline tribute at Ryman Auditorium and admitted, “I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was incredibly nervous right now.”

While Pickler has not released a full album since 2013, she has maintained her career in the entertainment industry since then. In May 2013, she and partner Derek Hough won Season 16 of Dancing With the Stars. From 2015 to 2017, she starred on the CMT reality show I Love Kellie Pickler. She and Ben Aaron also hosted the daytime talk show Pickler & Ben from 2017 to 2019.

Additionally, Pickler has dabbled in acting. She’s had roles in the Hallmark productions Christmas at Graceland, Wedding at Graceland, and The Mistletoe Secret in 2018 and 2019.

What happened to Kellie Pickler’s husband?

Jacobs, a songwriter, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on February 17, 2023. He was 49 years old when he died at the couple’s home in Nashville, Tennessee.

Pickler and Jacobs got engaged in 2010 and tied the knot on New Year’s Day 2011. They did not have any children together.

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Since Jacobs’ death, Pickler has been involved in a legal dispute with her late husband’s parents over his personal property and the administration of his estate. Pickler accused her in-laws of entering her property to obtain Jacobs’ belongings without her permission and has petitioned to have them removed as administrators of his estate. Jacobs’ parents, however, argued that their son and Pickler’s prenuptial agreement had clearly outlined how the property was to be divided.

The legal battle is ongoing.

Where does Kellie Pickler live now?

Pickler currently lives in a Nashville condo. In 2024, she sold the Nashville home that she lived in with Jacobs for $2.3 million, per TMZ. The four-bedroom house was the site of Jacobs’ suicide.

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The “Best Days of Your Life” singer put the house on the market in November 2023. She listed it for $2,890,000, then slashed the price four months later before making the sale in May 2024. Pickler had purchased the home in 2010 for $1.435 million.

American Idol, Season 24, Mondays, 8/7c, ABC

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or dial 988. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

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