"Idol" favorite Mario Vazquez has exited the stage early. The news broke Sunday that the frontrunner, who qualified for the final 12 just last week, decided to leave the competition for personal reasons.

"It was a very, very hard decision on my part," Vazquez told "Extra." "My intuition told me there were things I really needed to take care of, personal areas in my life, which meant I couldn't continue on in the competition."

And while the news broke Sunday, "Extra" sources spotted Vazquez at an Alicia Keys concert Saturday night in Las Vegas, meaning he had already left the "Idol" contestants' Los Angeles hideaway.

Randy Jackson told "Extra" that Vazquez's exit was especially surprising because he was a frontrunner in the race for the "Idol" crown. Now, "AI" insiders are speculating that it was actually some secret scandal that prompted producers to ask Vazquez to leave, but he denies the rumors.

"Don't think there's anything wrong," Vazquez insisted to us. "There's nothing wrong, just a private issue, that's all. This is not the last you've heard from Mario Vazquez."

Vazquez is not the first competitor to leave the hit show. Corey Clark was kicked off during Season Two for alleged sibling abuse. That same season, Frenchie Davis was removed for posing partially nude on a porn site.

Vazquez's departure opens the door for the previously ousted Nikko Smith. Producers immediately tabbed Smith to replace Vazquez in the final 12.

"American Idol's" real-life drama continues Tuesday night on FOX.