All American Idol

Vonzell Solomon

2008-05-30T02:57:00.001-07:00

Vonzell Solomon was born on March 18, 1984 in Baxley, Georgia. When she was still a baby, her family moved to Fort Myers, Florida, where she eventually attended Cypress Lake Center for the Arts. Not only is Vonzell a trained Classical singer, she also has a black belt in sembact martial arts and is an avid softball player. Before she auditioned for season 4 of American Idol, Vonzell was a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service. She also performed with local bands and even tried out P-Diddy's Making the Band, from which she was rejected. Her parents are her own American Idols and she names Usher and Beyonce as two of her favorite artists.

Vonzell left her hometown in order to audition for season 4 of American Idol in Orlando, but like her fellow American Idol Finalist, Jessica Sierra , it was not her first time to try out for the show. She first tried out for the show during its' second season, but was only met with a "no" from the judges. Her second try was more rewarding, as she not only made it to Hollywood, but also became one of the Top 12 Finalists. During the Finals, Vonzell acquired a rather large fan base by giving solid performances throughout the competition. Among the songs she performed are "When You Tell Me That You Love Me," "Treat Me Nice," "I'm Every Woman," "I Have Nothing," and "People." Although her talent brought her all the way to the Top 3 with Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice , the majority of the votes for the tenth week went to the latter two, and Vonzell became the tenth finalist to be eliminated from the show.

Scott Savol

2008-05-30T02:53:00.000-07:00

Scott Thomas Savol was born on April 30, 1976 in Cleveland, Ohio. He pursued his education in Shaker Heights, Ohio and has been singing since he was 5 years old. Before joining season 3 of American Idol, he never had any formal training in singing, but had been active in his high school choir. Aside from singing, Scott is also a talented trumpet player. He considers the birth of his son as his proudest moment and likes to take the time to pray before every performance to relax his nerves. Although his real passion is for singing, Scott wouldn't mind becoming a comedian as well. His mother is his American Idol. He enjoys listening to Gospel, Pop, R&B and Soft Rock Music.

Scott Savol auditioned for season 3 of American Idol in Cleveland, Ohio. Although getting the golden ticket was not such a difficult task for Scott, the criticisms about the validity of his involvement with the show began pouring in when it was revealed that not only was Scott not from Shaker Heights, he was also previously charged with disorderly conduct (after apparently hitting his girlfriend with a phone). The producers of the show tried to clear the air by saying that Scott was honest about his past, and that the reason why Scott claimed to be from Shaker Heights is because he spent a lot of time there when he was still studying. Surprisingly enough, Scott was able to stay in the Finals for a whopping eight weeks, even earning a spot on the Top 5. Songs that he performed include "Against All Odds," "The Impossible Dream," "She's Gone," "Everlasting Love," and "Dance With My Father." He was finally eliminated after his performances of "On Broadway" and "Everytime You Go Away."

Nikko Smith

2008-05-30T02:52:00.001-07:00

Nikko Smith was born on April 28, 1982 in San Diego, California. His father is Ozzie Smith, a Baseball Hall of Famer. He began singing when he was only seven years old, and his performances were limited to the youth choir of the First Baptist Church in Chesterfield, Missouri. When he was 13 years old, Nikko formed the music group Team 11, but it broke up eventually, leaving Nikko to continue developing his craft on his own. Before he joined season 4 of American Idol, Nikko did not have any formal training in music. Nikko is a fan of martial arts and of the music of Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Sam Cooke.

Nikko auditioned for season 4 of American Idol in St. Louis, Missouri. Although he was eliminated from the semifinals with Travis Tucker, the producers of the show asked Nikko to return to the show to replace Mario Vazquez, who departed from the show because of personal reasons. Nikko jumped at the chance and gave strong performances in the Finals, with songs like "I Want You Back," "Incomplete," and "Can We Talk." Nevertheless, his singing prowess did not impress the voters, as he was voted off after his rendition of "One Hand, One Heart" from the musical West Side Story. He was the the fourth finalist eliminated from the show.

Nadia Turner

2008-05-30T02:51:00.003-07:00

Nadia Constance Turner was born on January 11, 1977 in Miami, Florida. For her education, she attended the Miami Palmetto Senior High School in Miami and afterwards went on to earn a degree from Florida International University. She started singing when she was only five years old and received training in classical music from a private teacher. Nadia is also interested in photography, rollerskating, bowling and dancing. She is not only a great singer, but a talented beatboxer as well. Like fellow finalist Mikalah Gordon , Nadia has also had the honor of performing for former President Bill Clinton. She enjoys listening to the music of Prince, Tina Turner and Coldplay.

Nadia went all the way out to San Francisco in order to audition for season 4 of American Idol. With her unique style, cool personality and husky voice, she was able to get three "yeses" from the judges. During the semifinals, Nadia was a strong contender, singing hits like "The Power of Love," "My Love," and "Try a Little Tenderness." She had little difficulty getting through to the Finals, but staying in proved to be more taxing. Although she gave very solid performances, the votes that were coming in for her were inconsistent, having slid down to the bottom three in weeks 2 and 3 of the Finals, then safe from it in week 4. However, her rendition of "When I Dream" during week 5 brought her back down to the Bottom 3, and ultimately she became the fifth contestant voted off the show.

Mikalah Gordon

2008-05-30T02:49:00.001-07:00

Mikalah Analise Gordon was born on January 14, 1988 in Las Vegas, Nevada. She is of Italian descent and studied at St. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic School for 5 years. Her father, Rocky Gordon, is an accomplished jazz musician, and Mikalah spent most of her childhood performing with him. Before she joined season 4 of American Idol, she trained under the Helen Joy Young Entertainers for eight years and even got the chance to perform for former President Bill Clinton. Her other interests are dancing, cheerleading and theater and she enjoys listening to the music of Alicia Keys. She considers her mother as her American Idol. Because of her heavy accent and spunky attitude, Mikalah has often been likened to comedic actress Fran Drescher.

Mikalah didn't have to leave her hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada in order to audition for season 4 of American Idol. Her unique voice and bouncy personality won the hearts of the judges and earned her a golden ticket to Hollywood. During the semifinals, Mikalah Gordon wowed the audience with her renditions of "Young Hearts Run Free," and "Somewhere," ultimately placing her in the Top 12. Her performances during the finals were not as impressive, having fallen into the bottom three on the first week. Her rendition of "Love Will Lead You Back" on the second week did not keep her off the Bottom 3 and when the results were announced, it was revealed that Mikalah was the second finalist eliminated from the show.

Lindsey Cardinale

2008-05-30T02:47:00.000-07:00

Lindsey Michelle Cardinale was born on February 5, 1985 in Hammond, Louisiana. Her family moved to Ponchatoula, Louisiana when she was six years old and grew up with her older sister, Lori. She attended the Ponchatoula High school and was a part of the school's advanced choir. Before joining season 4 of American Idol, she was majoring in Radiology. Singing is her passion, but she can also play several instruments, namely the piano, guitar and drums. Her favorite artists are Sammy Kershaw, Willie Nelson, Sara Evans and Lee Ann Womack. For Lindsey, an American Idol is someone who should not only be talented but also unique.

Lindsey sang Karla Bonoff's "Standing Right Next To Me" in her New Orleans audition and was able to get the thumbs up from the judges. During Hollywood Week, she was again able to gain the judges' approval when she sang "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "Sugar Pie Honey Bunch" with other American Idol wannabes Melinda Lira and Jessica Sierra. For the semifinals, Lindsey sang "Standing Right Next To Me," "I Try to Think About Elvis" and Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing." Although she was able to earn a spot on the Top 12, she was the first to be voted off the Finals, after her less than stellar rendition of "Knock on Wood."

Jessica Sierra

2008-05-30T02:46:00.000-07:00

Jessica Sierra was born on November 11, 1985 in Tampa, Florida. Her first singing experiences were at church, where she began showing off her talent at the age of 3. Before joining season 4 of American Idol, Jessica had no formal training in music. When she was a teenager, she was given the chance to sing for two former presidents, namely President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush. She considers her grandmother as her own American Idol, but names Elton John and Christina Aguilera as her favorite artists. Jessica believes that an American Idol is a role model who was gifted with the chance to impart his/her talent with the rest of the world.

Jessica went from Tampa to Orlando in order to audition for season 4 of American Idol. This was her second time auditioning for the reality show, having been rejected the first time when she auditioned for season 2. Her perseverance paid off as she was given the much-coveted golden ticket the second time around. During the Finals, Jessica tried her best to stay in the competition by singing hits like "Shop Around," and "Total Eclipse of the Heart," but her rendition of LeAnn Rimes' "On The Side of Angels" failed to captivate, and consequently, she was the third to be voted off from season 4.

Constantine Maroulis

2008-05-30T02:45:00.001-07:00

Maroulis was born in Brooklyn to Greek parents, James Constantine Maroulis and Constance P. Maroulis (born 1938). Both maternal and paternal grandparents immigrated to the States from Greece in the 1920s. He was brought up in the Greek Orthodox religion. He can speak Greek. His older brother Athanasios Demetrios Maroulis (born 1964) is a record producer and his sister Anastacia P. Maroulis (born 1968) is a New York schoolteacher. They also have 20 cousins, one of whom being George Economos. Constantine "Gus" Economos died in the September 11, 2001 attacks from the fall of the World Trade Center. When Maroulis was five years old his family moved to Wyckoff, New Jersey, an affluent suburb of New York City, where he grew up. At that time he developed an interest in music, following his older brother's lead who was performing in professional bands and pursuing a career in the record business, and being influenced by the piano and records his family listened to[5]. By age eleven he was studying the trumpet at Eisenhower Middle School. He later sang in high school garage bands, including Lady Rain and Milkbone. In high school, he claims to have been shy and nerdy. Went by the name "Dean" and always sported a turtleneck. He graduated from Ramapo High School in 1993 and moved on to The Boston Conservatory of Music. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2002, majoring in musical theater with a minor in voice performance from Berklee College of Music.

He was in the cast recording of the 2000 musical, Suburban Dreams, which was produced by composer Stephen Thompson, Richard Kenner and Jesse Merz.

Carrie Underwood season 4 winner

2008-05-30T02:42:00.000-07:00

Carrie lives in Checotah, Oklahoma with her parents and her Cocker Spaniel, Blondie. She has two older sisters, Shanna and Stephanie. Her family raises cattle, but Carrie won't eat beef because she sees the cows as her pets. Carrie is a big sports fan and played softball for eight years before shelving the sport in favor of music. She is a fan of Troy Aikman and the Dallas Cowboys, and she loves horror movies and pizza.

Bo Bice

2008-05-30T02:40:00.000-07:00

Bo claims that he's been singing ever since he could talk. He had formal voice training in high school choir. He plays a number of musical instruments including the piano, guitar, bass guitar, and saxaphone. He does his own recording at home in his own studio.

Bo is very close to his mom; he has said that she is his rock. Bo's music tastes vary. He like bands such as Metallica to Matchbox Twenty to Sheryl Crow. Bo is a wiz in the kitchen. One of his favorite hobbies is cooking. Bo says he has two lucky charms he keeps with him at all times: a cross his mom got him and a shield from England that he keeps in his pocket. Bo now has a wife and a baby since his performance on "American Idol."

Anwar Robinson

2008-05-30T02:39:00.000-07:00

Anwar Farid Robinson was born on April 21, 1979 and was raised in Newark, New Jersey. Anwar began singing at the tender age of 8 and was a student of the Newark Boys' Chorus School. During his college years, he received training as a tenor from Dr. Scott J. McCoy. His training lasted for almost four years and in 2001, he finished his studies with the Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, New Jersey. Before he auditioned for season 4 of American Idol, Anwar was working as a music teacher at a local Junior High. He also moved around quite a bit, finally settling down in East Orange, New Jersey. Anwar enjoys listening to the music of Stevie Wonder and Patti LaBelle.

Anwar traveled from East Orange to Washington D.C. in order to try out for season 4 of American Idol. With his smooth voice, charming personality and big smile, it wasn't hard for Anwar to gain a big fanbase when he started out in the semifinals. When he moved on to the Finals, he amazed the judges and the American voters with his renditions of "House is not a Home," "Ain't Nobody," "I Believe I Can Fly," "If Ever I Would Leave You," and "I'll Never Love This Way Again." During the sixth week of the Finals, Anwar grooved to Earth, Wind and Fire's "September," but unfortunately he couldn't sing and dance his way into the hearts of America, and the following day, Anwar was the next to be sent home, becoming the sixth person to be eliminated from the show.

Anthony Fedorov

2008-05-30T02:37:00.001-07:00

Anthony is a Ukranian-American singer who was a contestant from the fourth season of the "American Idol." Born in Ukraine to a Russian father and a Jewish mother, Fedorov moved to the United States in 1994. He currently resides in Trevose, Pennsylvania, in Lower Southampton Township. Anthony is a 2003 graduate of Neshaminy High School and attended Bucks County Community College. Fedorov had a tracheotomy as a toddler due to a birth defect in his windpipe, from which the scar is still visible. Despite skepticism that he would even be able to talk again, he began singing at an early age.

Of all the "American Idol" auditioners, he was very well known for singing ballads, something which all three judges view as his most suitable style.

Anthony was voted off American Idol on May 11, 2005 after singing "I'm Already There" by Lonestar, and "If You Don't Know Me By Now" by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes during Country/Gamble and Huff week. He shares the record for most appearances in the bottom three/two (with Season One contestant Nikki McKibbin) with five.

Matthew Rogers

2008-05-30T02:28:00.001-07:00

Matthew Wyatt Rogers was born on September 16, 1978 in Rancho Cucamonga in California. He was a student of both Sierra Vista Middle School in Covina, California and South Hills High School in West Covina, California. He was a football player for the latter. He started singing when he was only five years old and had not received any formal training before he appeared as a contestant on American Idol, season 3. Aside from singing, Matthew is also quite the comedian and actor. He enjoys listening to R&B but is also the proud owner of an album of Pavarotti. He believes that the winner of American Idol should be someone who is original and talented.

Matthew auditioned for season 3 of American Idol in Los Angeles, and to his delight, received a golden ticket from the judges. In the semifinals, he won the viewers’ votes with his rendition of Bobby Caldwell’s “What You Won’t Do For Love” and come Soul Week, gave a satisfactory performance when he sang Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle.” The following week, Matthew chose to go with the song “Amazed,” in accordance with the country theme, but he failed to amaze the judges and America. The following day, Matthew was sent home, becoming the first finalist to be eliminated from the third season.

Leah LaBelle

2008-05-30T02:27:00.001-07:00

Leah LaBelle was born on September 8, 1986 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Her parents are originally from Bulgaria, where her father was a former rock band member. Before joining season 3 of American Idol, Leah was in the middle of her academics in Garfield, High School, where held a steady GPA of 3.8. Like other American Idol Finalists, Leah started singing at around the same time she first started talking. Leah's other interests include playing the piano, swimming and dancing. She is more inclined towards R&B, Gospel and Soul music, but her favorite aritists include Justin Timberlake, Beyonce and Lauryn Hill. Leah has also traveled quite a bit, having visited countries like Bulgaria, South Africa and Germany.

Leah took the trip from her hometown in Seattle, Washington to New York City to try out for season 3 of American Idol. Although she made it to the semifinals, the votes she received were not enough to see her through to the next round. Fortunately, Paula Abdul chose Leah as her wildcard pick, and she was able to gain a place in the Top 12. Her rendition of "You Keep Me Hanging On" during the first week of the Finals was not so well-received by the judges nor by the voters, and she was the first to pack her bags the following day.

LaBelle has been performing, singing and dancing, publicly since 1990 but marks 1993 as the start of her pursuit of a music career. In 1997, LaBelle won the Washington State Pre-teen Miss America Pageant and was 1st runner-up in the National Pageant. In 1998 she joined the nationally acclaimed Total Experience Gospel Choir and can be heard in several recordings with the group and as part of the Langston Hughes musical, Black Nativity over the following five years. In 2000, LaBelle was part of the WAM Network children's reality show, Caught in the Middle and continued on the show for two seasons. In 2002, LaBelle won the Grand Prize at KUBE 93.3 Summer Jam Idol and was the opening act at Summer Jam 20. Headline acts included Usher, Nelly, Jermaine Dupri, Mario, Da Brat, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes, Nappy Roots, and others. In 2004, LaBelle was a finalist on the FOX Network Series American Idol, placing 12th overall out of over 70,000 contestants. In 2005, Leah LaBelle pursued a management contract with Sixthboro Entertainment of NYC and recorded a demo with Vocal Arranger, Tavarius Polk and Grammy Award winning producer, Andreao "Fanatic" Heard.

La Toya London

2008-05-30T02:16:00.000-07:00

The front runner to win the third season of American Idol, Latoya London was part of the famed Three Divas (with Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia Barrino) before she was shockingly eliminated from the competition on May 12, 2004. However, her trademark powerhouse vocals have prevented her from fading into obscurity. She signed with Peak Records, an imprint of Concord Records, and released her debut album, "Love & Life," in September 2005. Her single, "Appreciate/Every Part of Me/All By Myself," hit number eight on the Billboard Single Sales Chart, and her song "State of My Heart" was a hit on Adult Contemporary radio. She toured with Kim Fields and Angie Stone in the play, "Issues: We All Got 'Em," in 2005, and starred in the Los Angeles revival of "Beehive" in 2006 to rave reviews. She recently landed the lead role of Nettie in the Chicago run of Oprah Winfrey's Broadway musical, "The Color Purple," opening in April 2007.

Jon Peter Lewis

2008-05-30T02:15:00.001-07:00

Jon Peter Lewis competed on season three of American Idol. He was the audience's wild card choice.

John Stevens

2008-05-30T02:13:00.001-07:00

Fiery-haired vocalist and former American Idol contestant John Stevens was born in 1987 and raised in East Amherst, NY. His love for jazz, big band, and swing began with the discovery of his grandparents' record collection. Stevens found kindred spirits in the works of Dean Martin, Duke Ellington, and most importantly Frank Sinatra. It was his spot-on emulation of Sinatra's singing style and old-fashioned mannerisms that kept him in contention well into season three. After participating in the obligatory postseason Idol tour, he signed with Maverick Records. Red, a collection of covers and standards, was released in June of 2006. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide

Jennifer Hudson

2008-05-30T02:08:00.000-07:00

Jennifer is best known for her stint as a finalist on the third season of "American Idol." She came in seventh overall. Most recently, she got a new gig--cast in the film version of the musical "Dreamgirls." The film is expected to be released in late 2006, and also stars some big A-list names, including Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, and Eddie Murphy.

Although this curvaceous vocalist cried when she came in seventh on the third edition of American Idol in 2004, she ended up having the last laugh by winning the career-making role of Effie White in the lauded 2006 movie musical Dreamgirls. Not only did Hudson eclipse her pop-princess costar Beyoncé Knowles with her powerful performance as an ugly-duckling diva, but she also beat out 2004 American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino for the role. Hudson quickly racked up numerous accolades for her work in the film, including a Golden Globe, a SAG Award and even an Oscar as best supporting actress. She also signed her first record deal. Not bad for a gal who was singing on Disney cruise ships back in 2003.

Jasmine Trias

2008-05-30T02:04:00.004-07:00

Jasmine Soriano Trias was born November 03, 1986 in Miliani. Jasmine is a Filipina-American who came in 3rd place in the third season of American Idol. Not only is she a hit in the States but Jasmine is a big star in her home country of Philippines. Jasmine was such a big star when she visited the Philippines, her visit was called "Jasmania" as Jasmine became the face of McDonalds (where people purchased "The Jasmine Trio"), Bench and Smart (the Philippines' biggest cellphone company).

George Huff

2008-05-30T02:04:00.003-07:00

George Clayton Huff, Jr. (born November 4, 1980 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is an American singer, fifth-place finalist on the third season of the reality/talent-search television series American Idol. Huff, 22, is originally from New Orleans, Louisiana; he is currently a student at the University of Oklahoma. Huff auditioned for the third season of American Idol in Houston, Texas; he was a member of the fourth group of semifinalists. He was actually not among those originally chosen for the semifinal round, but was put through when contestant Donnie Williams was disqualified for a drunk driving arrest. Huff was not voted through to the final round from his group of semifinalists, but got another second chance when he was brought back for the wildcard round and put through as a finalist by contest judge Simon Cowell.During this period, New Orleans Fox Affiliate WVUE would hold specials including Huff's family cheering on George during the latest episodes. On May 5, 2004, Huff was voted off in fifth place after two renditions of Fred Astaire's "Cheek to Cheek" and Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" during big band week. His album, Miracles, was released by Word Records, on October 11, 2005. The first single off that album was Brighter Day. Word Records is a popular Christian record label, featuring such artists as Amy Grant, Jaci Velasquez, Randy Travis and Point of Grace. In 2005 his Louisiana home was affected by Hurricane Katrina. He left New Orleans and stayed at his brother's house in Dallas. 1

Fantasia Barrino (season 3 winner)

2008-05-30T02:00:00.000-07:00

Born Fantasia Monique Barrino on June 30, 1984 to a musical family. Miss Barrino auditioned for American Idol in Atlanta. She has a daughter named Zion Myra Barrino.

When Fantasia was a teenager, she got pregnant and dropped out of high school. When Fantasia had her baby girl people doubted her and said she would not be able too support her and her baby girl at all. But she got a job and struggled to get the things her baby needed such as diapers and clotihes. A couple of years later Fantasia thought too herself that when her baby is in high school and she wanted to see Fantasia's diploma, and Fantasia said she did noit have one, she wondered what kind of example she was setting for her daughter. So Fantasia went back to school and got a diploma . And proved everybody wrong. She tells teenage mothers who drop out of school to dont give up. Today her little girl is four and is in kindergarden.

Even though millions of people voted Fantasia Barrino as their American Idol, the singer admits that there was a time when she doubted America's fondness for her.

Diana DeGarmo

2008-05-30T01:58:00.000-07:00

Diana Nicole DeGarmo, currently 18, was born on June 16, 1987, in Birmingham, Alabama. Her singing talent was noticeable at an early age and by the time she was five years old young DeGarmo was used to being on stage and in the spotlight. Diana performed all around Georgia, where she currently lived in Snellville, and even at the Grand Old Opry in Nashville, Tennessee---oh, this young girl was taking the music world by storm!

Unfortunately, during a trip to Scandinavia to try to pursue a music career, Diana didn't have much luck. Diana did score becoming a finalist on the show "America's Most Talented Kids", which gave her some, even if not much, fame. She took the new conditions to her advantage and auditioned for American Idol at the age of 15; she was praised by the judges and sent along to the Hollywood stage, where she kept on singing until she became apart of the top 32, then the top 24, then the top 12, and continued her success until she was in the finale against Fantasia Barrino. Unfortunately for Diana, Fantasia won, but Diana's competing gave her supreme popularity in the pop and country genres

Camile Velasco

2008-05-30T01:54:00.001-07:00

Camile Velasco was born on September 1, 1985 in Makati City, Philippines. Her family migrated to Haiku, Maui in Hawaii when she was very young. She has been singing ever since she can remember, but started to perform publicly when she was 16 years old. Before coming on season 3 of American Idol, Camile had not received any training in music and was working on developing her talent in songwriting. Her parents own an IHOP restaurant, where she once worked. Her personal music idol is Lauryn Hill, but she also enjoys listening to the music of Beyonce and Prince. She defined an American Idol as a spiritual individual who is very musically driven.

Camile traveled from her hometown to Honolulu, Oahu in order to audition for season 3 of American Idol. She picked the Fugees' "Ready or Not" to sing, and her performance was greatly appreciated by the judges. Camile made it all the way to the semifinals, where she captured the attention of the audience with her rendition of Brian McKnight's "One Last Cry." The judges loved it, but Randy asked her to put some of her hip-hop style in her following performances. Camile made it to the Finals, and although her talent was even compared to her idol Lauryn Hill, Camile was the fourth person to be eliminated after her performance of Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road."

Amy Adams

2008-05-30T01:48:00.000-07:00

Amy Christina Adams Varner auditioned for American Idol in Atlanta. She can currently be seen as Narrator in the National Tour of Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, stopping at the Kodak Theatre among others. She is also the voice on the New Cast Recording of the show. Amy started singing at age 10, and she is a professional Make-up Artist. She is married to Ross Varner, and has a son named Harrison Ryan Adams Varner.

Julia DeMato

2008-05-29T22:06:00.001-07:00

Julia deMato was born on March 7, 1979 in Brookfield, Connecticut. She is the youngest of seven children. She graduated from Brookfield High School in 1997 and has been singing since she was 4 years old. Apart from the shower, other places and events where Julia showed off her singing talents before joining season 2 of American Idol include her school choir, weddings, funerals, baseball games and local clubs. Julia admitted that she was lacking in confidence and had also not received any formal training in music prior to her appearance on American Idol. Her favorite artists are Jennifer Lopez and Justin Timberlake.

Julia was given a golden ticket by the judges when she gave an impressive performance during her audition for season 2 of American Idol. During Hollywood week, she encountered a bit of trouble with another aspiring American Idol, Kimberly Caldwell. Both of them were chosen to participate in the semifinals, during which Julia sang Dusty Springfield's "Son of a Preacher Man." Julia managed to gain enough votes from the viewers and went on to perform "Flashdance-What a Feeling" and "Where Did Our Love Go?" in the first two weeks of the Finals. Unfortunately, Julia was eliminated on the third week, after failing to captivate the audience with her rendition of "Breathe" by Grammy-award winning country singer Faith Hill.

Vanessa Olivarez

2008-05-29T22:04:00.001-07:00

Vanessa Olivarez was born on February 13, 1981 in Atlanta, Georgia. She started singing when she was only three years old and trained for six months at the Gwinnet School of Fine Arts in 1997. Before appearing on the second season of American Idol, Vanessa had already performed in several local clubs, bars and music venues such as Eddie's Attic, Echo Lounge, Smith's Old Bar, and the Dark Horse Tavern. She also worked as a chemical assistant at Salon Carsica. She likes listening to 80's, blues, classical and rock music. Her favorite artists are Justin Timberlake and Norah Jones. She considers her mom as her American Idol.

Charles Grigsby

2008-05-29T22:03:00.001-07:00

Charles Jason Grigsby, Jr. was born on September 15, 1978 in Oberlin, Ohio. He is the youngest of six children and has been singing since he was three years old. He got his earlier singing experiences from participating in his middle and high school choir, performing in some talent shows and as opening acts for some major artists. He studied computer aided design in Detroit, Michigan for a while but was forced to leave when he received failing marks. After some time, he decided to audition for season 2 of American Idol. Apart from singing, Charles can also play the piano (by ear) and guitar and he has an uncanny ability to harmonize. He enjoys listening to R&B and Hip-Hop.

Corey Clark

2008-05-29T22:00:00.001-07:00

Corey Clark was born in San Bernardino, California on July. 13. 1980. His parents names are Duane and Jan Clark. During his school year, Clark and his sister got into fights with classmates in first grade because of the racism at his school. Clark's interest in music started at an early age. He began singing at age 11, without any formal training. He sang at at school functions and concerts. He received his first professional singing job when he was 13 going on 14. He was a backup singer for Barry Manilow. At age 14, Clark started and performed in a R & B vocal group called Envy, for which he was the lead vocalist. The group also included now-Grammy Award-nominated singer NeYo. Envy performed in several talent contests, and a few years later, won grand prize at a Las Vegas amateur singing contest. But the group disbanded in 2000.

Rickey Smith

2008-05-29T21:56:00.000-07:00

Rickey Eugene Smith was born on May 10, 1979 in Keene, Texas. He majored in Performance at Southwestern Adventist University. Before auditioning for the season 2 of American Idol, Rickey was working as a teacher. He started singing when he was only five years old, but began taking it more seriously when he was 18. He listens to all types of music, but is more inclined towards opera, wherein which he received training. His goal in life is to be the best possible person he can be and to be known as a man of God and family. He enjoys listening to Led Zeppelin, Brian McKnight and R. Kelly.

Kimberly Caldwell

2008-05-29T21:55:00.000-07:00

Kimberly Caldwell is from a little town right outside of Houson called Katy, Texas where she lives with her mom, Carla, and sister, Kristy, whom she's very protective of. She began performing at the age of 5 when she started doing beauty and talent pagents and eventually made her way to appearances on various talent shows and performing for many country stage shows including Star Search, Grand Ole Opry, Country Tonite Theatre, and Grand Casino despite no formal vocal training. However, at 15 Kimberly decided to give up singing for a little while to concentrate on being a kid, however she was so unhappy when she wasn't performing that she began singing again a few years later in small places to start saving money for her most prized possesion, her Truck.
Besides a talent for dancing and flexibility, Kim is also great at makeup and hair design and knows even if the competition doesn't turn out the way she would like she will be famous somehow! Kim was even a participant in the WB's Popstars 2 and made it all the way to the bootcamp! She also has a very ecclectic taste in music. "I Love every kind of Music", she says, but says her favorite has to be R&B. Some of Kimberly's favorite artists are P!nk, Craig David, Eminem and Faith Hill. Her first concert was Reba McIntire and her first Album she bought was Forever and Ever Amen" by Randy Travis. She define's her proudest momment so far as her making the top 32 on American Idol and holding the record of five wins on Star Search. Another one of her favorite singing moments was performing for George & Barbara Bush's 50th Wedding Anniversary at The Grand ‘Ole Opry. Currently Kim is recording an album with the help of Diane Warren and Randy Jackson, as well as working for an entertainment correspondant for the TV guide channel.

Carmen Rasmusen

2008-05-29T21:53:00.001-07:00

Carmen Rasmusen was born on March 25, 1985 in Edmonton, Alberta. She is half-Canadian, half-American and is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was a student at the Brigham Young University for a year, but was under 18 years old when she auditioned for season 2 of American Idol. She started her vocal training when she was 13 and has performed in several school productions, choir and county and state fairs. She likes to listen to pop/rock music and her favorite artists are Justin Timberlake and Avril Lavigne. Her favorite judge on the show is Simon. Aside from singing, Carmen is also a talented guitar and piano player.

Carmen auditioned for season 2 of American Idol in Los Angeles and being under 18 required her to have an on-set tutor and her mother to stay in the American Idol house. She reached the Top 100, but was eventually cut out. However, Simon decided to give Carmen a second chance when he chose her as his wildcard entry. For the first week of the finals, Carmen sang "You Can't Hurry Love" by the Supremes, and her performance was good enough to bring her to the following round. For the next couple of weeks, she would continue to hold America's votes with her renditions of "Hopelessly Devored to You," and "Wild Angels." However, when they came to Disco week, Carmen slid down to the Bottom 2 and from then did not bring on such a tough competition for the others. She was finally voted off after her performance for Dianne Warren's music week, making her the seventh contestant eliminated

Trenyce

2008-05-29T21:51:00.000-07:00

Lashundra Collins, better known as Trenyce, was born in Memphis, TN on March 31, 1980. Trenyce began singing jingles of her favorite commercials. She participated in talent shows all around the Memphis area, as well as school competitions. She won "Miss Sophomore in her sophomore year of high school, as well first alternate to "Miss Junior" in her Junior year. She finished in fifth place in American Idol's second season.

Joshua Gracin

2008-05-29T21:50:00.001-07:00

Josh was born in Westland, Michigan, a hour away from Detroit. He lived there for 20 years where he went to John Glenn High School. He met Ann Marie, his wife, there. He joined the Marines in 2000. Shortly after they broke up. While he was stationed at Camp Pendleton, in California, Josh began to sing again. He auditioned for American Idol in 2002 and made it all the way to the top four. His perfomance with Rascal Flatts on the show helped him land his first record deal.
He is married to Ann Marie now and they have two childs, Briana and Landon. They live in Franklin, Tennessee.

Kimberley Locke

2008-05-29T21:47:00.001-07:00

Kimberley Locke was born on January 3, 1978 to Christine and Donald Locke in Hartsville, Tennessee, a small town just outside of Nashville. When Kimberley was seven, her parents split up and she moved with her mother to Gallatin, Tennessee where she finished her primary years of schooling. Kimberley’s love for music was innate, and her first memories of singing began when her mother bought her, her first radio with a dual cassette recorder.

rowing up on Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston and Diana Ross, Kimberley relied on her grandmother’s extensive vinyl collection to listen to her favorite singers. Music was a family affair, and Kimberly often sang vocals in her “first band” – with her cousins as back-up musicians. But it wasn’t until the seventh grade, that Kimberley formed an all-girl group with friends who called themselves Shadz Of U – a group that she still performs with to this day

Clay Aiken

2008-05-29T21:45:00.001-07:00

Clay Aiken Was a contestant on season 2 of American Idol which he finished in second behind Ruben Studdard

-He went on to top the sale charts that year when he released him first single "Bridge Over Troubled Waters/This is the Night" on June 10th, 2003. It went platinum and sold over 600 000 copies in it's first week alone. It later won the AMA for best-selling for single that year.

-He has since released his album "Measure of a Man", and a Christmas album entitled "Merry Christmas With Love" and both went platinum and were best-sellers

-He recorded "Proud of You Boy" for the Special Edition 2-Disc DVD of Aladdin. This was a track cut from the orginal movie.

-He has toured 5 times which includes the Idol Tour, Independent Tour, his Summer Tour (Clay Aiken), Joyful Noise Tour and the Jukebox Tour

Ruben Studdard

2008-05-29T21:40:00.000-07:00

2003 American Idol Winner!

Attended A&M University in Alabama, where he was a football player.

Got a record deal with J records

Runs three times a week on a treadmill to build endurance.

Currently signed to with J Records.

At his first audition for "American Idol" he sang Luther Vandross' "Superstar"

In Ricky Acker's 2003 film "Night and Day", there is a scene where the bum is harassing Craig and this was shot carefully around the arrival of Ruben's guests for his 25th birthday party at the Birmingham Museum of Art. A multi-colored "RS" is visible several times in the background of the scene on the museum wall.

Beat Clay Aiken to win American Idol 2003.

Was considered for the role of "Fat Albert." He was later passed over in favor of Keenan Thompson.

Recognized by the 2004, 46th Annual Grammy Awards held on February 8, 2004 at the Los Angeles Staples Center and broadcast live on the CBS TV Network. He was nominated for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Superstar", but lost to Luther Vandross for "Dance With My Father".

His post-Idol single, which later appeared on his album Soulful, "Flying Without WIngs" climbed as high as the #2 spot on the US charts.

Brother of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the biggest music fraternity in the United States.

Jim Verraros

2008-05-29T21:10:00.001-07:00

James Conrad “Jim” Verraros was born on February 8, 1983. He grew up in Crystal Lake, Illinois and having been brought up by hearing-impaired parents, Jim is fluent in American Sign Language. His father is Greek, while his mother is part-German, part-Irish, part-French and part-English. In the hopes of making his dreams come true, Jim auditioned for season 1 of American Idol. His other aim was to encourage other people to go after what their hearts have been wanting. He is very close to his family and friends. He likes listening to the music of Janet Jackson and the Smashing Pumpkins. An avid sports fan, Jim’s favorite teams are the Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears, Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bulls.

Jim had to leave his residence in Chicago, Illinois in order to audition for season 1 of American Idol. Being an openly gay singer, he encountered some trouble with FOX when the broadcasting company asked him to take out gay-friendly remarks from his website. His talent for singing, however, was undeniable and Jim was successful enough to make it to the Finals, where he sang “Easy.” Sadly, his performance was not well-loved by the viewers and he became one of the two who were voted off in the first finals week of season 1.

EJay Day

2008-05-29T21:03:00.001-07:00

Eric James Day was born on September 13, 1981 in Lawrenceville, Georgia. While performing on stage when he was younger, Ejay’s pants buckle suddenly fell off, causing his pants to drop down during his presentation. The embarrassing incident did not discourage Ejay from pursuing his passion for music, and in 2001, he auditioned for the first season of American Idol. Ejay loves to sing, but if given the opportunity, he would also like to become a dancer. His favorite American Idol judges are Randy and Paula and he likes listening to Annnie Lenox and Vanessa Carlton songs.

When he auditioned for season 1 of American Idol, the judges were impressed with him enough to give him the golden ticket to Hollywood, but was only chosen to come back to the semifinals to replace disqualified contestant Delano Cagnolati. For the semifinals, Ejay picked the song “My Girl,” and his performance earned him a spot on the Final 10. However, his victory was short-lived as he one of the first two to be voted off season 1, after his less than stellar rendition of “I’ll Be.”

A.J. Gil

2008-05-29T21:02:00.001-07:00

Abner Juda "AJ" Gil was born on July 5, 1984 and is an older brother to nine siblings. His parents are originally from Mexico, but AJ grew up in San Diego, California. He attended Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington. He auditioned for season 1 of American Idol because he wanted to become a role model and to motivate people to effect positive changes in society. A.J. has also expressed his interest in dancing, although his real talent is singing. He likes to listen to the music of Craig David and P. Diddy, but when it comes to picking which American Idol judge is his favorite, he claims to like them all.

Auditioning for American Idol Season 1 was a successful journey for AJ. As a semi-finalist, he won the votes of viewers with his rendition of "All or Nothing" by the boy band O-Town. He sailed on through to the Finals, earning a spot on the Top 10. For the first week of the Finals, the theme was Motown, and AJ chose to sing the popular hit, "My Cherie Amour" by the legendary Stevie Wonder. Though it wasn't such an impressive performance, AJ was safe from being eliminated. However, for the second week, AJ failed to blow away the judges, as well as America, with his version of Marvin Gaye's "How Sweet It Is." Come elimination day, AJ found himself in the Bottom 3 and ultimately became the second finalist to be voted off American Idol, season 1.

Ryan Starr

2008-05-29T20:59:00.000-07:00

Ryan Starr was discovered when she became a finalist on American Idol's Top Ten. She became an instant favorite to win; however she was the fourth contestant to be eliminated from the show. Her claim to fame on this hit show was her deep throaty voice, and her own clothing designs. Since then Ryan has scored the lead role in a world released movie: The Ring of Darkness. She is also currently starring in another movie: Vendetta. Ryan has appeared in two other reality shows since American Idol, The Surreal Life 3, and Battle of the Network Reality Stars. Although she has had numerous TV roles and appearances (CSI, What I like About You, That 70's Show;) Ryan hasn't forgotten about her singing career. Ryan has had numerous label offers from RCA, however Ryan did not accept, for she wanted complete control over her music. She released an iTunes exclusive single that sold an estimated 2,000 copies on its first day, breaking an iTunes record. She is currently recording an album, and will begin her Chinese tour in September. Rumors have it that Ryan is in talks with Lord and Taylor to release her highly anticipated fashion line, but none of these rumors have been substantiated. You will also be able to catch Ryan Starr on yet another TV show in November/December. Ryan hasn’t slowed down since American Idol, and continues to bring to the world her distinct rock style that made America fall in love with her.

Christina Christian

2008-05-29T20:57:00.001-07:00

Christina Christian was born on June 21, 1981 in Brooklyn, New York. She decided to audition for season 1 of American Idol because she strongly believed that singing is her destiny. Aside from become an accomplished singer, Christina has also expressed her interest in drawing. She also loves the name that her parents blessed her with because she believes that it is truly the name of a celebrity. Her favorite artists include Nickelback, Celine Dion, Bette Midler, Janet Jackson and Alicia Keys. Christina likes British judge Simon Cowell for his honesty.

When Christina auditioned for season 1 of American Idol, the judges were quick to put her through to Hollywood, where her great performances allowed her to advance to the semifinals. Among the 30 semifinalists, Christina was one of the ten who were voted into the Finals. During the Finals, she had a difficult time gaining a large enough fan base, having fallen into the bottom three on weeks 2, 3 and 4. Her renditions of "At Last," "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "When A Man Loves a Woman" and "Ain't No Sunshine" failed to captivate the voting public, and come week 4, she became the fifth contestant eliminated from season1.

RJ Helton

2008-05-29T20:54:00.000-07:00

R. J. was born in Pasadena, Texas and then moved with his family to Cumming, Georgia where he was raised and studied dance and music.

Tamyra Gray

2008-05-29T20:50:00.000-07:00

Tamyra Gray was born on July 26, 1979 in Takoma Park, Maryland. One of twelve children, Tamyra started singing when she was very young and was often a participant in beauty pageant. In 1998, she won the crown for Miss Atlanta. As a student, she majored in business law at Georgia State University. Before she joined season 1 of American Idol, Tamyra took on different kinds of jobs like care worker, telemarketer, waitress and even started her own cleaning service. She also starred in Coca-Cola commercials but tried to further infiltrate the entertainment industry by working with big names like Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez of the group TLC and rapper DMX. Tamyra is a big fan of Celine Dion and Prince.

Tamyra auditioned for season 1 of American Idol and her talent put her through to Hollywood and onto the Finals. She impressed the judges and America with her renditions of “A New Attitude,” “A House is not a Home,” “Minnie the Moocher,” and “Fool In Love.” Tamyra was a very strong contender, but when her performance during 1980’s and 1990’s week failed to wow the audience, she spiraled down to the Bottom two and was swiftly voted off the show. Tamyra was the seventh finalist eliminated from season 1.

Nikki McKibbin

2008-05-29T20:48:00.000-07:00

Nikki finished as one of the top twenty finalist on WB's Popstars in 2001 before placing third in the first season of American Idol in 2002. Her biggest hit to date is "The Lie".

Nikki has been on several reality shows such as Battle of the Network Reality Stars, Kill Reality, Fear Factor and the made for TV movie The Scorned.

Currently she is releasing her debut album on May 22, 2007 and will be working/touring with the Texas band Rivethead.

Justin Guarini

2008-05-29T20:47:00.001-07:00

Justin Guarini was born in Columbus, Georgia, on October 28, 1978.

Dad Eldrin Bell is a former Atlanta police chief,now Clayton County (Ga.) Commission Chair. Chief Bell is first cousins with acclaimed actor Samuel L. Jackson's wife, LaTonya.

Stepfather Jerry Guarini is a retired Navy physicist.

Mom Kathy is a former TV journalist and anchor at CNN and is now a freelance broadcast journalist and Realtor in Doylestown. Then president of the United States, Jimmy Carter, called in - from Airforce One--his best wishes to Kathy Guarini, whom he knew from her CNN association, upon hearing the news of Justin's birth. (Justin's godparents are Prince Faisal and his former wife, Princess Azia of Saudi Arabia.)

Raised in central Bucks County, Pennsylvania, by mom Kathy Pepino Guarini and step dad Jerry Guarini, Justin was born in Columbus, Georgia, where his mom was an anchor for the local 'Action 9 News' on WTVM. Kathy also anchored news programs in Philadelphia and Atlanta (CNN), where she met Justin's father, Eldrin Bell, who rose through the ranks of the Atlanta police department to become its commissioner.

Justin was accepted into the Atlanta Boys Choir at four years old. The Choir generally does not accept children under six years of age.

With a mother in the television industry, and a father always in the public spotlight, Justin's drive to entertain came naturally. His sister says that he imitated Michael Jackson's style and was known to 'moonwalk' around the house. His first concert was The Jacksons' "Victory Tour." Justin met his idol, Stevie Wonder, at Quincy Jones' birthday party held at Spago restaurant in LA on March 15, 2003.

KELLY CLARKSON

2008-05-29T20:40:00.000-07:00

The winner of Fox TV's first American Idol: The Search for a Superstar competition, during the summer of 2002 Kelly Clarkson went from an anonymous talent to a nationally known singer performing for an audience of millions of viewers. One of the show's most naturally gifted singers, the 20 year-old Burleson, TX native's vocal talents were discovered when she was in seventh grade, when her school's choir teacher heard her singing and urged Clarkson to join the choir. After high school, Clarkson cultivated her voice and went to Hollywood to make her name; she appeared as an extra on an episode of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch but no other opportunities materialized. Upon returning to Burleson, Clarkson worked at a movie theater, promoted Red Bull energy drinks and ultimately worked as a cocktail waitress at a comedy club before entering the American Idol contest.