Maddie Poppe reveals her new boyfriend — fans ask, “Where’s Caleb?”
Maddie Poppe appears to be in a new relationship. The American Idol winner from 2018 shared a recent social post that shows her smiling and close to a man tagged as Gabe Burdulis, a Nashville-based singer-songwriter and guitarist. The simple caption on the photo read, “Happy.” The image quickly drew attention from fans, many of whom reacted with surprise and curiosity, especially about Poppe’s past relationship with fellow American Idol finalist Caleb Lee Hutchinson.
Who is Maddie Poppe’s new boyfriend, Gabe Burdulis?
Gabe Burdulis is a working musician from Madison, Wisconsin, now based in Nashville. According to information on his website, Burdulis tours as a guitarist with country artist Brittany Spencer and has shared stages with established acts including Willie Nelson, Brandi Carlile and Maren Morris. He has also released solo material, including a self-produced full-length album titled Youth City in 2014 after relocating to Nashville. While his most recent single listed publicly dates to 2018, he remains active on the road and in studio circles.
Burdulis has supported other country performers in notable appearances, for instance backing Brooke Eden on The Today Show and performing at Farm Aid with Micah Nelson, who performs as Particle Kid. His songs have appeared on television shows such as The Young and the Restless. His social feeds feature travel photos, performance clips and behind-the-scenes moments from life on tour, offering a sense of his career as a professional guitarist and collaborator.
Maddie and Caleb broke up last fall
Poppe’s new public romance follows her split from Caleb Lee Hutchinson, which was reported last year. The pair met on American Idol in 2018, where Poppe won and Hutchinson finished as the runner-up. Their relationship was revealed on live television during the show’s finale, and the couple made several public appearances together afterward, including a duet during American Idol’s reunion special in 2022. Despite the memorable moments and public support, the relationship ended, and Poppe has since moved forward both personally and professionally.
Although Poppe has not made many public statements about the breakup, she has acknowledged the end of their relationship in interviews and in song. That confirmation surprised some fans, who reacted to the recent photos by indicating they hadn’t realized the couple had split.
Fan reactions: many didn’t know she and Caleb split
The comment thread under Poppe’s recent social post was full of fans expressing surprise, disbelief and nostalgia. Many wrote that they were only now learning the couple had broken up. Some comments reflected disappointment from long-time followers who had rooted for the pair, while others offered congratulations and support for Poppe’s apparent happiness. A few fans speculated about when the split happened and shared memories of seeing Poppe perform live, while others noted that the person in the photo did not look like Caleb.
Reactions ranged from humorous and wistful to genuinely happy for Poppe. The strong engagement highlights how invested fans can become in celebrity relationships, especially when those relationships began on a national television stage like American Idol.
Maddie confirmed the breakup with Caleb
Poppe discussed the end of the relationship during a radio interview while promoting her single “Screw You a Little Bit.” When the host asked whether the song was a breakup song, Poppe acknowledged that it was—but clarified that it was not about the person many assumed. She spoke respectfully about her past relationship, saying she still had love and respect for that person and that the song was not intended to cast anyone in a negative light.
Since then, Poppe has continued touring and releasing music. She has been performing as an opening act for American Idol runner-up Megan Danielle on tour, and she’s scheduled to join Nick Carter on a fall tour. Her latest single at the time of the post is “Good Enough to Let You Go,” and she remains active in promoting new material while navigating life after her breakup.