‘American Idol’ Alum Antonella Barba Arrested For alleged DV

American Idol has seen its share of former contestants arrested, and recently, Antonella Barba was detained by police in Pt. Pleasant Beach, New Jersey. She was stopped during a traffic stop due to an outstanding warrant for her arrest.

A Domestic Violence Charge

TMZ reported on April 1 that the Season 6 contestant, who previously served time on drug charges, had “a warrant out for…a domestic violence charge from two weeks ago, and her federal probation from the prior drug case was violated based on the new charge.”

Currently, the singer, who ironically auditioned with Deniece Williams’ song “Free,” was not free for long. Nevertheless, she has been released to home detention. Barba, who allegedly injured a former partner with a punch, will appear in court on April 29.

Formerly charged with intent to distribute fentanyl, movement restrictions were in place at the time. The original offense dates back to a 2021 conviction, but she violated her probation in 2022. In 2024, the domestic violence charge arose. Multiple other incidents with the police will not look good on her record.

Other Talented People Arrested 

Colin Stough, a finalist on Season 21 of the show, where he placed third behind Iam Tongi and Megan Danielle, was recently arrested following a car crash and faces potential DUI charges. It seems a pity because he seemed to be doing well marketing his music. 

Another incident involved Caleb Kennedy, who appeared on Season 19 of American Idol. He was sentenced to eight years in prison following his arrest for a DUI that resulted in the death of a man. His sentence was later reduced to three years. At the time of the fatal crash in 2022, he was 17 years old. 

Laine Hardy, who won Season 17 two seasons before Caleb Kennedy’s appearance, faced a huge setback to his burgeoning country music career. He was involved in an incident involving a recording device placed in his girlfriend’s room. After completing a mandated program, he recently returned to creating new music.

The Current Season Is Not Without Controversy 

The current season premiered in March 2025 on ABC. There have not been any recent arrests like those of Kennedy, Hardy, Stough, and Antonella Barba. However, there is controversy over the appointment of Carrie Underwood as the replacement judge for Katy Perry. Online, some people claim they intend to boycott the show because of her MAGA leanings. 

Katy Perry, meanwhile, caused a stir as on April 14, she will be amongst a group of women who will fly into space. They will do a suborbital fight on the New Shepard rocket from Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin.

What are your thoughts about all these controversial arrests and updated news items around the ABC talent show? Are you sad that Antonella Barba is now on the naughty list? Let us know in the comments below, and come back here for all your American Idol cast news and updates.