Zachariah Smith didn’t make it into the Top 3 of American Idol. Nevertheless, he views his stint on the show as an overwhelming success. “I want to thank you guys,” Smith said in an Instagram video. “You guys have got me to the Top 5 and that is absolutely insane. Honestly, this is just a TV show. It helped me grow my platform and I’ve gained a lot of new fans.”
Zachariah Smith is married to Crysta Smith, who’s 14 years his senior
Zachariah Smith described his wife, Crysta Smith, as his backbone. “She’s what keeps me running,” Smith said during Hollywood Week.
Smith and Crysta married in September 2022, five months after she finalized her divorce from her ex-husband. The pair cited ‘irreconcilable differences’ as the reason for their split, The U.S. Sun reports. Crysta and her ex-partner share custody of their three children.
Before his stint in American Idol, Smith worked in the kitchen of a burger joint managed by Crysta. The U.S. Sun cites WTVA, which reports that Crysta’s family has run the burger joint for two decades. Judge Luke Bryan advised Smith to ‘burn the apron’ and quit his job at the food outlet.
“I don’t think I could ever give enough credit to this BEAUTY [Crysta]!” Smith captioned an early April 2023 Instagram post. “She handles my hectic schedule, runs a restaurant, and manages to be the best mom to our 3 kiddos!”
Fans have reacted differently to Smith and Crysta’s union. Most comments under Smith’s Instagram post were positive. @Collenwstrick wrote: “She is amazing! I could tell just by how she came into the room on AI and gave you a kiss! Right after u got the golden ticket! Take GOOD care of her! She is amazing!”
However, observers on Reddit have a different view, claiming Crysta, who’s 14 years older than Smith, is taking advantage of him. @makingabigdecision wrote: “Definitely a grooming situation! I feel bad for him because at 19 he really shouldn’t be worried about being a stepdad to 3 kids!”