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The Voice<\/em><\/a> season 24 contestant Tom Nitti is opening up about why he <\/span>left the show<\/a> ahead of the Playoff Rounds.<\/span><\/p>\n The country singer was <\/span>surprisingly absent<\/a> from Monday’s episode, leaving his coach,\u00a0<\/span>Reba McEntire<\/a>,\u00a0one singer short as she narrowed her team down to just three performers for the live shows.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “I have wonderfully talented people, but Tom had to leave for personal reasons, so I only have five artists tonight,” Reba shared\u00a0 — though not much more was revealed about the surprising exit.<\/span><\/p>\n On Tuesday, Tom shared an Instagram reel full of pictures from his time on the show — as well as photos of his kids — and a heartfelt message promising that he’s “alright and still standing” and hinting that he left the show to spend more time with his family.<\/span><\/p>\n “Well, I\u2019ve been dreading this day ever since the blind audition so here goes nothin\u2019,” he began. “First and foremost I\u2019m blessed beyond belief and I can\u2019t say enough how much I love and appreciate the constant support from my fans, my friends and my family\u2026As much as it absolutely stings to say, I had to make probably one of the hardest yet easiest decisions ever and ultimately at the end of the day, my kids will always come first and if I had to make the same decision again I\u2019d do it over and over.”<\/span><\/p>\n “This past summer was filled to the max with everything I love and could\u2019ve only dreamed of and Thanks to\u00a0@nbcthevoice\u00a0I was able to live my wildest dreams and do what I\u2019ve always hoped. I made friends that\u2019ll last a life time, experiences that I can hold on to forever and even found REAL and TRUE love (@ashleybryantofficial)\u2026. I wish I can put every single person in this post that had my back going through the tough times while I was in California,” he continued, tagging many of his fellow<\/span> Voice<\/span><\/em> contestants, “but nonetheless I hope everyone knows how happy and grateful I am for them.”<\/span><\/p>\n “This isn\u2019t the end of me and I\u2019ll do what I do best for everyone to see which is keep my head down and move forward playing music and raising\/creating new memories with a family I will continue to grow,” he concluded. “I never believed in the whole, things happen for a reason statement but in this case I think God has it all figured out. He knows I don\u2019t break easily. For everyone asking, I\u2019m alright and still standing. Thank you so much and as always, I\u2019m super pumped to keep on keepin\u2019 on with music, my kids Rayleigh and Brently my whole family to include my smokin\u2019 girlfriend that keeps my head held high\u2026 Im more than ready to continue to live life now happier than ever before.\u00a0 #familyfirst\u00a0 #itsnotoveryet\u00a0 #thevoice\u00a0 #imstillstanding\u00a0 #support\u00a0 #blessed\u00a0 #kentuckygotme.”<\/span><\/p>\n Reba was the only chair to turn for Tom’s cover of Stevie Wonder’s\u00a0“Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” in the Blind Auditions. However, the singer continued to impress throughout the season.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n He won\u00a0<\/span>his Battle Round performance<\/a>\u00a0of Cody Johnson’s “Til You Can’t” and was saved by Reba following his Knockout Round cover of The Temptations’\u00a0“(I Know) I’m Losing You.”<\/span><\/p>\n With Tom’s departure, that meant Reba only had to eliminate two singers, sending home Noah Spencer and\u00a0her\u00a0<\/span>Super Save singer<\/a>\u00a0Ms. Monet — and sending\u00a0<\/span>Jordan Rainer, Ruby Leigh, and Jacquie Roar<\/a> to represent Team Reba in the live shows.<\/span><\/p>\n When ET spoke with the coaches<\/a>\u00a0ahead of the season premiere, Reba said that fellow coaches\u00a0<\/span>John Legend<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Gwen Stefani<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Niall Horan<\/a>\u00a0had welcomed her to the show “warmly, like a sister.” However, she noted that the friendly vibes go away when it’s time to get down to business.<\/span><\/p>\n “They’ve helped me, they’ve guided me and taught me, and then after I learned up to that point, then they say, ‘You’re on your own,'” she recalled.<\/span><\/p>\n