When rumors started flying about John Foster—his age, his hometown, even a supposed connection to Dwight Yoakam—things could’ve gotten messy fast. People online were convinced he was industry-connected, already signed, maybe even lying to gain votes on American Idol. But instead of ducking the drama, John did something rare: he addressed it head-on. With one post, he cleared it all up—no label deal, no famous relatives, just an 18-year-old from Addis, Louisiana, grinding for his shot. Fans flooded the comments thanking him for being real, and honestly, it might’ve made them love him even more.

John Foster has become a fan-favorite contestant on Season 23 of American Idol, earning himself a spot in the top 10 as the competition winds down. But along with that scrutiny comes some of the negative sides of fame, as John is slowly learning.

The rising singer is already seeing false information being spread about himself online. Luckily, none of it appears to be harmful so far, but he made sure to take the time to address some of the untrue things he’s seen.

The first is regarding his age. “I am 18 years old (not 24),” John wrote on Facebook. He then commented on his hometown, adding, “I was born and raised in Louisiana. My hometown is Addis, LA. I’m not from Benton, Kentucky (I’ve never even been to Kentucky, but I hope to visit someday).”

Perhaps the most bizarre rumor that’s been started, though, is that John is related to singer Dwight Yoakam. “I’m not related to Dwight Yoakam, nor am I currently signed under any record label (there was some misinformation that Dwight Yoakam signed me under Sugar Hill Records),” the teenager confirmed.

He concluded his message by saying, “If you see something about me that’s not from my page (with the blue checkmark), there’s a chance that it may not be true! I hope this helps y’all to know me better as a person now that y’all know more about my music. If you have any questions about me, try commenting them under this post. Either I or someone who knows me well will likely answer you! God Bless!”

John has made an impression since his audition, particularly with judge Carrie Underwood. For his most recent performance, which earned him a spot in the top 10, John paid tribute to Underwood with a rendition of her song with Randy Travis, “I Told You So.”

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“It was such an honor to pay tribute to the incredible @carrieunderwood last night,” he wrote on Instagram afterwards. “She’s been my voice on the judge’s panel, and I hope that my performance last night gave her the respect that she deserves.” John will take the stage again on Sunday, May 4, in hopes of making the top 8.