Josh Gracin Got Invited, But Won’t Be at ‘American Idol’ Series Finale

American Idol's two-night series finale wraps up on Thursday (April 7) with appearances from plenty of the TV singing competition's alumni -- Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Scotty McCreery, Bucky Covington, Casey James, Kellie Pickler and Lauren Alaina, as well as a host of other former competitors -- but Josh Gracin will not be one of them. On Facebook, in response to comments from upset fans, the singer explains why he isn't attending, despite receiving an invitation to come back.

Gracin writes that he's "waited 11 years to return to Idol" and was "beyond excited when I was told they asked me back for the finale." However, when his team began inquiring about the details, "Idol responded with tentative schedule of events and the amount I was to be compensated for my appearance but left out what we specifically asked for regarding the song choices and lyrics. After requesting song choices and lyrics a few more times and receiving nothing, I felt it was in the best interest of myself, my team and the direction we were moving musically/career wise to decline."

The artist adds, "I wanted nothing more than to finally be part of the show that made it possible for me to begin doing what I love, but I couldn't move obligations once again, for something unknown. When we politely declined, all we received back was an 'OK'."

In an interview with the Washington Post, Gracin elaborates: Idol wanted him to sing cover songs with a large group of contestants, which he feels doesn't highlight what he's accomplished in his career post-Idol.

"If American Idol doesn’t want to acknowledge what I’ve been able to do without their help ... if they can’t even acknowledge the success that I’ve had and what I’ve been able to do, how am I going to get Nashville to acknowledge that and get past that stigma?" Gracin muses.

Following a suicide attempt in 2014, Gracin has been working hard to get his career going again, but he admits that it's been a struggle.

“Nashville isn’t taking anybody anymore unless you’re a writer that has a catalog of music that you’ve written for other people or you have an investor behind you,” he says. “Because they’re not wanting to take the risk financially anymore like they used to.”

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