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The twelfth season of ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
'' premiered on January 16, 2013, as part of the mid-season of the 2012–13 network television season.
Ryan Seacrest Ryan John Seacrest (born December 24, 1974) is an American media personality and producer. He is the co-host of '' Live with Kelly and Ryan'', as well as the host of multiple media shows including ''American Idol'', ''American Top 40'', and ' ...
returned to host.
Randy Jackson Randall Darius Jackson (born June 23, 1956) is an American record executive and television presenter, perhaps best known as a judge on ''American Idol'' from 2002 to 2013. Jackson began his career in the 1980s as a session musician playing bas ...
returned for his twelfth season as judge and was joined by new judges
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the wh ...
,
Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accents ...
, and
Keith Urban Keith Lionel Urban (born 26 October 1967) is an Australian-American musician, singer, guitarist and songwriter known for his work in country music. Recognized with four Grammy Awards, Urban also received fifteen Academy of Country Music Awar ...
, who replaced
Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
and
Steven Tyler Steven Victor Tallarico (born March 26, 1948), known professionally as Steven Tyler, is an American singer, best known as the lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, piano, and percussion. ...
. The season was the third to have four judges, after the eighth and ninth seasons. It was also the first season in the show's history where all the finalists of one gender (male) were eliminated before any finalists of the opposite gender, thus making it the first to not only have an all-female top 5, but also the first season since the sixth to produce a female winner, as well as the first season since the third to have a finale consisting of two women. It was also the first season where the judges did not use the "Judges' Save" since its introduction in the eighth season. This was the third season where both finalists were in the bottom three or two at some point in the competition. On May 16, 2013, Candice Glover was announced the winner of the twelfth season of ''American Idol'', making Kree Harrison the runner-up. Glover also became the third African-American female behind
Fantasia Barrino Fantasia Monique Barrino-Taylor (born June 30, 1984), known professionally by her mononym Fantasia, is an American R&B singer and actress. She rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series ''American Idol'' in ...
and
Jordin Sparks Jordin Sparks-Thomas (born December 22, 1989) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame in 2007 after winning the sixth season of ''American Idol'' at age 17, becoming the youngest winner in the series' history. Her self-titled debu ...
to win the show. Glover was also the last female contestant to win the competition in the show's run on Fox. In a series first, Glover's debut album, '' Music Speaks'', was available for pre-order immediately following the finale broadcast. This was the only season to feature Carey and Minaj as judges, who both decided to leave the show in May 2013 to focus on their music careers.


Show changes

After a sharp drop in ratings during the eleventh season,
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve s ...
entertainment president Kevin Reilly announced that the show would undergo "some creative tweaking" for the following season. After two seasons, judges
Steven Tyler Steven Victor Tallarico (born March 26, 1948), known professionally as Steven Tyler, is an American singer, best known as the lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, piano, and percussion. ...
and
Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
announced their exits from the series on July 12 and 13, 2012, respectively. On July 23,
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the wh ...
was announced as a judge for the twelfth season. On September 16, returning judge
Randy Jackson Randall Darius Jackson (born June 23, 1956) is an American record executive and television presenter, perhaps best known as a judge on ''American Idol'' from 2002 to 2013. Jackson began his career in the 1980s as a session musician playing bas ...
and new hires
Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accents ...
and
Keith Urban Keith Lionel Urban (born 26 October 1967) is an Australian-American musician, singer, guitarist and songwriter known for his work in country music. Recognized with four Grammy Awards, Urban also received fifteen Academy of Country Music Awar ...
were confirmed to be serving on the panel. On December 31, 2012, it was announced that
Ryan Seacrest Ryan John Seacrest (born December 24, 1974) is an American media personality and producer. He is the co-host of '' Live with Kelly and Ryan'', as well as the host of multiple media shows including ''American Idol'', ''American Top 40'', and ' ...
has signed on to remain the host for at least two more seasons. Producer Nigel Lythgoe indicated on January 9, 2013, that during the Hollywood rounds, the girls and boys would perform on separate weeks. Each gender would have equal number of eliminations right up until the Top 10 live shows. He also announced that there will be no wild cards, instead replacing a brand new "Sudden death" round in which the top 40 already had to perform in front of a live audience, then the judges picked five out of the ten contestants per show to proceed to the top 20. The number of finalists was limited to ten which last occurred in the inaugural season. This season also introduced the SuperVote where viewers were able to cast fifty votes at once online or through the new ''American Idol'' App, in addition to all the regular voting methods. Voters are able to allocate any number of votes for one contestant or multiple contestants, for a total of fifty votes, across all online voting destinations. This season also showcased an "Idol Update" segment by bringing back many ''Idol'' alumni to perform on the result shows or as a guest in the audience. Such performers were
Kelly Clarkson Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter, author, and television personality. She rose to fame after winning the first season of ''American Idol'' in 2002, which earned her a record deal with RCA. Her deb ...
,
Clay Aiken Clayton Holmes Aiken ('' né'' Grissom; born November 30, 1978) is an American singer, television personality, actor, politician, and activist. Aiken finished second place on the second season of '' American Idol'' in 2003, and his debut album, ...
,
Fantasia Barrino Fantasia Monique Barrino-Taylor (born June 30, 1984), known professionally by her mononym Fantasia, is an American R&B singer and actress. She rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series ''American Idol'' in ...
,
Jennifer Hudson Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981), also known by her nickname J.Hud, is an American singer, actress, and talk show host. Throughout her career, she has received various accolades for her works in recorded music, film, televisio ...
,
Carrie Underwood Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American singer. She rose to prominence after winning the fourth season of ''American Idol'' in 2005. Her single " Inside Your Heaven" made her the only country artist to debut atop the ''Bil ...
,
Katharine McPhee Katharine Hope McPhee (born March 25, 1984) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. In May 2006, she rose to fame as the runner-up on the fifth season of ''American Idol.'' Her eponymous debut album was released on RCA Records on Janua ...
, David Cook,
Adam Lambert Adam Mitchel Lambert (born January 29, 1982) is an American singer and songwriter. Since 2009, he has sold over 3 million albums and 5 million singles worldwide. Lambert is known for his dynamic vocal performances that fuse his theatrical tra ...
, Lee DeWyze,
Scotty McCreery Scott Cooke McCreery (born October 9, 1993) is an American country music singer. He rose to fame after winning the tenth season of ''American Idol'' on May 25, 2011. His debut studio album, '' Clear as Day'', was released in October 2011 and w ...
,
Lauren Alaina Lauren Alaina Kristine Suddeth (born November 8, 1994) is an American singer and songwriter from Rossville, Georgia. She was the runner-up on the tenth season of ''American Idol.'' Her debut studio album, '' Wildflower,'' was released on Octobe ...
,
Phillip Phillips Phillip LaDon Phillips Jr. (born September 20, 1990) Note: An inaccurate birthdate (Sept. 29, 1990) and birthplace (Leesburg, Georgia) appear in is an American singer-songwriter who rose to fame after winning the eleventh season of ''Americ ...
,
Jordin Sparks Jordin Sparks-Thomas (born December 22, 1989) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame in 2007 after winning the sixth season of ''American Idol'' at age 17, becoming the youngest winner in the series' history. Her self-titled debu ...
,
Colton Dixon Michael Colton Dixon (born October 19, 1991) is an American singer-songwriter and musician from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He placed seventh on the eleventh season of ''American Idol''. Early life Colton Dixon was born Michael Colton Dixon on Oct ...
and
Jessica Sanchez Jessica Elizabeth Sanchez (born August 4, 1995) is an American singer-songwriter. She rose to prominence following her finish as the runner-up on the eleventh season of ''American Idol''. Early life Jessica Elizabeth Sanchez was born in Chula ...
. In addition, three former judges made appearances on this season.
Paula Abdul Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreographe ...
returned to the show briefly on the Top 5 result night, Tyler appeared dressed up posing as a contestant during the audition rounds and Lopez performed the night of the finale.


Regional auditions

In an attempt to refresh the show's audition process, new ways to audition were announced. First is the "American Idol Small Town Audition Bus Tour", a ten town nationwide tour that will give hopefuls who couldn't make it to one of the large audition cities a chance to try out. The cities are
Idaho Falls, Idaho Idaho Falls (Shoshoni language, Shoshoni: Dembimbosaage) is a city in and the county seat of Bonneville County, Idaho, Bonneville County, Idaho, United States. It is the state's largest city outside the Boise metropolitan area. As of the 2020 Un ...
;
Billings, Montana Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, with a population of 117,116 as of the 2020 census. Located in the south-central portion of the state, it is the seat of Yellowstone County and the principal city of the Billings Met ...
; Casper, Wyoming;
Rock Rapids, Iowa Rock Rapids is a city in and the county seat of Lyon County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,611 in the 2020 census, an increase from 2,573 in the 2000 census. History A post office called Rock Rapids has been in operation since 187 ...
;
Iowa City, Iowa Iowa City, offically the City of Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is the home of the University of Iowa and county seat of Johnson County, at the center of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the time ...
;
Bowling Green, Kentucky Bowling Green is a home rule-class city and the county seat of Warren County, Kentucky, United States. Founded by pioneers in 1798, Bowling Green was the provisional capital of Confederate Kentucky during the American Civil War. As of the ...
;
Clarksdale, Mississippi Clarksdale is a city in and the county seat of Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. It is located along the Sunflower River. Clarksdale is named after John Clark, a settler who founded the city in the mid-19th century when he establishe ...
;
Joplin, Missouri Joplin is a city in Jasper and Newton counties in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Missouri. The bulk of the city is in Jasper County, while the southern portion is in Newton County. Joplin is the largest city located within both Jas ...
;
Dodge City, Kansas Dodge City is the county seat of Ford County, Kansas, United States, named after nearby Fort Dodge. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 27,788. The city is famous in American culture for its history as a wild frontier tow ...
and
Grand Junction, Colorado Grand Junction is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Mesa County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 65,560 at the 2020 United States Census, making Grand Junction the 17th mo ...
. ''Idol'' is also starting the "Nominate an Idol" program, which will let friends and family of individuals they think could be the next American Idol nominate said person in secret by filling out an online form and existing video or URL of their nominee—they must be singing solo and
a cappella ''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without Musical instrument, instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differ ...
. The chosen auditions will then be surprised on location by a film crew and given an opportunity to advance to the next round. Finally, online auditions for season 12 were open from August 1 to 14, 2012,"Three More Ways to Audition for Season 12"
. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
and October 12 to November 4, 2012. Auditions took place in the following cities: * The number for San Antonio audition was not revealed and this is the number of contestants from that city profiled in American Idol official website, and may not represent the true number.


Hollywood week

For the first time, the Hollywood rounds were held in the Valley Performance Arts Center in
Northridge, California Northridge is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles. The community is home to California State University, Northridge, and the Northridge Fashion Center. Originally named Zelzah by settlers in 1908, the comm ...
. The contestants were separated by gender, with the male contestants performing in the first week, and the female the next. There were three rounds in each week – the
a cappella ''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without Musical instrument, instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differ ...
, the group, and the solo rounds. Unlike previous seasons, the groups in the group round were chosen by the producers, although each group was able to select a song from a list of twenty songs to perform. The males performed February 6 and 7 and the females performed February 13 and 14. The contestants sang a cappella solos in groups of eight and the judges chose only a few of them to move on to group round that same night and for the first time, the producers picked the groups. On the second night, the contestants performed solos. They were then divided into groups of eight, and only a few of them moved on. The judges picked 20 males and 20 females to perform in front of a live studio audience at The Beatles ''Love'' by Cirque De Soleil at
The Mirage The Mirage is a casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Hard Rock International. The 65-acre property includes a casino and 3,044 rooms. Golden Nugget, Inc., led ...
. Five were eliminated, while five advanced.


Vegas semifinal rounds

The semi-finals round took place at The Beatles ''Love'' by Cirque De Soleil at
The Mirage The Mirage is a casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Hard Rock International. The 65-acre property includes a casino and 3,044 rooms. Golden Nugget, Inc., led ...
. The forty people who made it then faced the "sudden death" Las Vegas round and only twenty moved on. The contestants were divided into four gender-separated groups of ten, with the female groups airing on Wednesdays and the male groups airing on Thursdays between February 20 and 28. Each group performed in front of the judges and a studio audience, singing a standard ninety-second solo with the judges critiquing them at the end. After all the performances had done, they were called out one at a time, to face the judges, who in turn, decide whether to move on to the second semi-finals round or send home. Color key:


Group 1


Group 2


Semi-finalists

The following is a list of Top 20 semi-finalists who ''failed'' to reach the finals:


Semi-finals

The Top 20 semi-finals continued at The Beatles ''Love'' stage in Las Vegas. The three-night event marked the first week viewers were allowed to cast votes. The females performed on the first night and the males thereafter the second night; on the third night, the show moved back to Los Angeles and only five contestants per each gender were announced on who will advance and who were eliminated. A new format was introduced for the revealing of the results: Seacrest walked backstage into the green room and, one by one, announced the contestant who would advance to the finals. The live studio audience and judges were not aware on the results until the contestants walked out on stage. Each of them sang their victory song. After the results were announced, Seacrest revealed that there will be a sing-off next week during the finals between the sixth placing male and female contestant who did not make the top ten. They would compete to join the American Idol tour. Color key:


Semi-finals

Cleland and Askew did qualify for the Sing-off, but, like the other four semi-finalists from each respective gender group who failed to reach the finals and were eliminated, did not compete in the finals.


Victory songs


Finals

In this season, there were ten weeks of the finals and ten finalists, with one finalist eliminated per week based on the American public's votes (exception includes the Top 4-non-elimination week). Previous season's winner
Phillip Phillips Phillip LaDon Phillips Jr. (born September 20, 1990) Note: An inaccurate birthdate (Sept. 29, 1990) and birthplace (Leesburg, Georgia) appear in is an American singer-songwriter who rose to fame after winning the eleventh season of ''Americ ...
recorded the song " Gone, Gone, Gone" as the song played during the contestant's montage. Jimmy Iovine reprised his role as a weekly mentor to the contestants, frequently assisted by guest mentors. Color key:


Top 10 – Music of the American Idols

The contestants performed a song that a previous ''American Idol'' winner performed while on the show, including their winning singles, or a song they recorded in their post-Idol career.


''American Idol'' tour 2013 Fan Save

Before the results were announced, two more acts who finished sixth in the semi-finals rounds for the respective gender, Aubrey Cleland and Charlie Askew, were presented on the Top 10 results show, both vying for an 11th place in the Idol tour 2013. The results were announced the next episode, which Cleland won.


Top 9 – The Beatles

The contestants performed a song from the hit band
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
.


Top 8 – Music of Motor City

The contestants sang songs with performers composed in
Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...
. Duets and trios were also introduced during this week.
Smokey Robinson William "Smokey" Robinson Jr. (born February 19, 1940) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and former record executive director. He was the founder and front man of the Motown vocal group the Miracles, for which he was also chie ...
served as the week's guest mentor.


Top 7 – Rock

The contestants sang songs within the
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
genre; a caveat was added that ballads were off-limits this week.


Top 6 – Burt Bacharach and Hal David / Songs They Wish They'd Written

Contestants performed two songs, one song which was composed by either
Burt Bacharach Burt Freeman Bacharach ( ; born May 12, 1928) is an American composer, songwriter, record producer and pianist who composed hundreds of pop songs from the late 1950s through the 1980s, many in collaboration with lyricist Hal David. A six-time Gra ...
or
Hal David Harold Lane David (May 25, 1921 – September 1, 2012) was an American lyricist. He grew up in New York City. He was best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach and his association with Dionne Warwick. Early life David ...
, and one song which they would have liked to write about. With the elimination of Arbos, this was the first (and to date, the only) season in ''American Idol'' history in which all of the contestants of one gender were voted off before anyone of the opposite gender, thus this also became the second season since season three to guarantee an all-female finale, and the first female winner since season six.


Top 5 – Year They Were Born / Divas

The top 5 rounds marked the final week where the judges can exercise their "Save"; Arthur was eliminated during the result show while the Save is still valid, making it the first (and to date, the only) time since the introduction in season eight the Save is forfeited without ever using it.


Top 4 (first week) – Contestant's Choice / One-Hit Wonders

The second song performed this week, One-Hit Wonders, was selected by the viewers.


Top 4 (second week) – Songs from Now and Then

Each contestant performed a hit song of 2013 and a song from the
Great American Songbook The Great American Songbook is the loosely defined canon of significant early-20th-century American jazz standards, popular songs, and show tunes. Definition According to the Great American Songbook Foundation: The "Great American Songbook" ...
standards.
Harry Connick, Jr. Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr. (born September 11, 1967) is an American singer, pianist, composer, actor, and television host. He has sold over 28million albums worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top60 best-selling male artists in the Uni ...
served as the week's mentor. With the previous week's being non-elimination, votes were accumulative on both last week and this week shows and the contestant receiving a lower count of votes at the end of this round was eliminated.


Top 3 – Jimmy Iovine's Choice / Judges' Choice / Producers' Choice

Each contestant performed a song chosen by mentor
Jimmy Iovine James Iovine ( ; ; born March 11, 1953) is an American entrepreneur, record executive, and media proprietor best known as the co-founder of Interscope Records. In 2006, Iovine and rapper-producer Dr. Dre founded Beats Electronics, which produc ...
, the judges and the producers.


Top 2 – Simon Fuller's Choice / Winner's Single / Favorite Performance

Each contestant performed a song chosen by creator
Simon Fuller Simon Fuller (born 17 May 1960) is a British entrepreneur, artist manager, and film and television producer renowned for nurturing and inspiring world class entertainment talent. He is the creator of the ''Idols'' TV format, including the UK ...
, their debut single and a reprisal of one of their previous favorites.


Elimination chart

Color key:


Results show performances


Finalists

All of season 12's finalists participated in the '' American Idols LIVE! Tour 2013''. Semifinalist Aubrey Cleland participated in the tour. * Candice Glover (born November 22, 1989) is from
Beaufort, South Carolina Beaufort ( , a different pronunciation from that used by the city with the same name in North Carolina) is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South ...
. She lives in St. Helena Island, South Carolina. She auditioned in Charlotte, singing " Syrup & Honey". She previously auditioned in the ninth and eleventh seasons, where she made it to the Las Vegas round during the eleventh season and grouped with that season's finalists DeAndre Brackensick and
Jessica Sanchez Jessica Elizabeth Sanchez (born August 4, 1995) is an American singer-songwriter. She rose to prominence following her finish as the runner-up on the eleventh season of ''American Idol''. Early life Jessica Elizabeth Sanchez was born in Chula ...
. She performed Alicia Keys's " Girl on Fire" in her final solo in the Hollywood rounds. Glover performed "
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" is a 1967 single released by American soul singer Aretha Franklin on the Atlantic label. The words were written by Gerry Goffin from an idea by Atlantic producer Jerry Wexler, and the music was compose ...
" at the sudden death round which received high praises from the judges. She performed "
Ordinary People ''Ordinary People'' is a 1980 American drama film directed by Robert Redford in his directorial debut. The screenplay by Alvin Sargent is based on the 1976 novel of the same name by Judith Guest. The film follows the disintegration of an upper ...
" at the semi-finals. At Top 6 Week Glover performed " Lovesong" her performance earned high praise and was called the best performance in the show's history. Her musical influences are
Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...
and
Jazmine Sullivan Jazmine Marie Sullivan (born April 9, 1987) is an American R&B and soul singer. Born and raised in Philadelphia, her debut album, ''Fearless'' was released in 2008. The record topped ''Billboards Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was certi ...
. Glover was announced as the winner on May 16. Her debut album, '' Music Speaks'' was released on February 17, 2014. * Kree Harrison (born May 17, 1990) is from
Woodville, Texas Woodville is a town in Tyler County, Texas, United States. The town is intersected by three U.S. highways: U.S. Highway 69, U.S. Highway 190, and U.S. Highway 287. The population was 2,403 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Tyler Co ...
, but lives in
Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and th ...
. She auditioned in Oklahoma City. Her father died in an airplane crash when she was 12, and her mother died in a car accident after Kree turned 19. She also signed a deal with
Lyric Street Records Lyric Street Records was an American country music record label. It was owned by the Disney Music Group and founded in 1997 by Randy Goodman. The label had its first successes in 1998 with singles by Lari White and Aaron Tippin, both formerly of ...
when she was twelve but was dropped after creative differences. She has also had a song publishing deal. She performed " Sin Wagon" at the group round in Hollywood. Harrison performed "Stars" as her final solo in the Hollywood rounds which received praises from the judges. Then, she sang " Up to the Mountain (MLK song)" in the sudden death rounds. She sang " Stronger" at the semi-finals. She stated that her musical influence is her family. Harrison was the runner-up. * Angie Miller (born February 17, 1994) is from
Beverly, Massachusetts Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, and a suburb of Boston. The population was 42,670 at the time of the 2020 United States Census. A resort, residential, and manufacturing community on the Massachusetts North Shore, Beverly incl ...
. She auditioned in New York City singing "
Mamma Knows Best "Mamma Knows Best" is a song by English singer-songwriter Jessie J, from her debut studio album '' Who You Are''. It was written and produced by Jessie J (credited Jessica Cornish) and Ashton Thomas, and peaked at number 59 on the UK Singles Char ...
." She stated at her audition that she is partially deaf, with twenty percent hearing loss in her right ear and forty percent in her left ear. Prior to auditioning for American Idol Miller established a successful YouTube channel gaining over 3.7 million views. Miller performed her original composition " You Set Me Free" for her final solo in the Hollywood rounds receiving standing ovation from the judges. She sang Jessie J's "
Nobody's Perfect ''NoBody's Perfect'' is a 2008 feature documentary produced and directed by Niko von Glasow. The film won the German Film Award for Best Documentary Film at the Deutscher Filmpreis in 2009, and has gone on to receive worldwide acclaim, resultin ...
" at the Vegas sudden death rounds and she sang " Never Gone" at the semi-finals. Her personal musical influences are
Jessie J Jessica Ellen Cornish (born 27 March 1988), known professionally as Jessie J, is an English singer. Born and raised in London, she began her career on stage, aged 11, with a role in the West End musical '' Whistle Down the Wind''. She studied ...
and
Beyoncé Knowles Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
. Miller was eliminated on May 9 coming in third place. Prior to her elimination, Miller had never been in the bottom group. During the season finale, she sang a duet with her idol Jessie J, singing "Domino". After the performance Jessie J invited her to go on tour in Europe with her to perform her original song "You Set Me Free". "You Set Me Free" was also released on iTunes the night of the season finale. * Amber Holcomb (born March 17, 1994) is from
Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...
. She originally auditioned in the eleventh season, but was cut in the Las Vegas round, where she grouped with Curtis along with the eleventh season finalists Shannon Magrane and Joshua Ledet. She performed "
My Funny Valentine "My Funny Valentine" is a show tune from the 1937 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart coming of age musical ''Babes in Arms'' in which it was introduced by teenaged star Mitzi Green. The song became a popular jazz standard, appearing on over 1300 a ...
" in Vegas sudden death rounds which received standing ovation from the judges. Holcomb performed " I Believe in You and Me" at the semi-final voting round receiving standing ovation from all of the judges. Prior to ''Idol'', she graduated from Dekaney High School in 2012. Her musical influences are
Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion ( ; born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Noted for her powerful and technically skilled vocals, Dion is the best-selling Canadian recording artist, and the best-selling French-language artist of all time. Her ...
,
Karen Carpenter Karen Anne Carpenter (March 2, 1950 – February 4, 1983) was an American singer and drummer, who formed half of the sibling duo the Carpenters alongside her older brother Richard. With a distinctive three-octave contralto range, she was praise ...
and
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
. Holcomb was eliminated on May 2 coming in fourth place. * Janelle Arthur (born December 12, 1989) is from
Oliver Springs, Tennessee Oliver Springs is a town in Anderson, Morgan, and Roane counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Its population was 3,231 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Harriman, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of Roane Cou ...
. She auditioned in Charlotte, where she sang " Where the Blacktop Ends". She has auditioned twice before, in seasons the tenth and eleventh seasons. In the tenth season, she was cut in the group round, and in the eleventh season she made it to the Las Vegas round. Arthur performed " I Told You So" at the Hollywood rounds. Then, she performed " Just a Kiss" at the Vegas sudden death rounds. She sang "
If I Can Dream "If I Can Dream" is a song made famous by Elvis Presley, written by Walter Earl Brown for the singer and notable for its similarities with Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech. The song was published by Elvis Presley's music pub ...
" at the semi-final round. Prior to ''Idol'', Arthur was a Zumba instructor. Her musical influences are
Vince Gill Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American country music singer, songwriter and musician. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman of the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s and as a solo artist b ...
and
Eva Cassidy Eva Marie Cassidy (February 2, 1963 – November 2, 1996) was an American singer and guitarist known for her interpretations of jazz, folk, and blues music, sung with a powerful, emotive soprano voice. In 1992, she released her first album, ...
. After singing, " When I Call Your Name" and "
Dumb Blonde Blonde stereotypes are stereotypes of blonde-haired people. Sub-types of this stereotype include the " blonde bombshell" and the "dumb blonde". Blondes are stereotyped as more desirable, but less intelligent than brunettes. There are many b ...
", Arthur was eliminated on April 18 coming in fifth place. *Lazaro Arbos (born December 27, 1990) is originally from Cuba but has lived in
Naples, Florida Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the historical city (i.e. in the immediate vicinity of downtown Naples) was 19,115. Naples is a principal city of the Naples-Marco Island, Flor ...
, since he was ten years old. He auditioned in Chicago, where he sang " Bridge over Troubled Water". He sang "
The Edge of Glory "The Edge of Glory" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her second studio album, '' Born This Way'' (2011). The song was released on May 9, 2011, as the album's third single. Initially released as one of two promotional singles for ''Bor ...
" at the Hollywood rounds as his final solo. Arbos performed " Tonight I Wanna Cry" at the Vegas sudden death rounds. He performed "
Feeling Good "Feeling Good" (also known as "Feelin' Good") is a song written by English composers Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the musical '' The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd''. It was first performed on stage in 1964 by Cy ...
" at the semi-finals. When Lazaro was six, he began stuttering to the point where he could barely talk. He has gone through speech and language therapy, but it never improved his stutter. His musical influence is
Selena Selena Quintanilla Pérez (; April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995), known mononymously as Selena, was an American Tejano singer. Called the " Queen of Tejano music", her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most celebrated Mexi ...
. He was eliminated on April 11 coming in sixth place. * Burnell Taylor (born April 14, 1993) is from
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
I'm Here" which received standing ovation from the judges. He sang "
Jar of Hearts "Jar of Hearts" is the debut single by American singer Christina Perri. The song was released onto iTunes July 27, 2010, a week after its debut on ''So You Think You Can Dance''. The song was included on Perri's debut EP, '' The Ocean Way Session ...
" at the Hollywood rounds. Taylor performed " This Time" at the Vegas sudden death rounds. He also performed the same song at the semi-finals. He stated in his audition that he and his family were survivors of
Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cos ...
. His musical influence is
India.Arie India Arie Simpson (born October 3, 1975), also known as India Arie (sometimes styled as india.arie), is an American singer and songwriter. She has sold over five million records in the US and ten million worldwide. She has won four Grammy Awards ...
. After his performance of "
You Give Love a Bad Name "You Give Love a Bad Name" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi, released as the first single from their 1986 album '' Slippery When Wet''. Written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and Desmond Child about a woman who has jilted her lover, ...
", he was eliminated on April 4 coming in seventh place. *Devin Velez (born April 22, 1994) is from Chicago. He auditioned in Chicago as well. Velez sang "
What a Wonderful World "What a Wonderful World" is a song written by Bob Thiele (as "George Douglas") and George David Weiss. It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong and released in 1967 as a single. It topped the pop chart in the United Kingdom, but performed poor ...
" at the Hollywood rounds. Then, he sang "
Listen Listen may refer to: * The action of listening * Central auditory system listening is how the brain processes what you hear * Listening behaviour types in human communication Computing * LISTEN, a TCP connection state on the server side indic ...
" at the sudden death rounds. Velez performed "
Somos Novios (It's Impossible) "Somos Novios" ( Spanish for "We Are Lovers") is a song first recorded by Mexican songwriter Armando Manzanero in 1968. Originally a French song " J'ai le mal de toi", different versions with unrelated lyrics in different languages have been writt ...
" at the semi-final round. He draws his musical influences from artists including
Israel Houghton Israel Houghton (; born May 19, 1971) is an American contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, producer and worship leader. He is usually credited as Israel & New Breed. Musical career Houghton produced an album by Michael Gungor, '' ...
,
Cece Winans Priscilla Marie Winans Love, known professionally as CeCe Winans, (born October 8, 1964) is an American gospel singer. She rose to prominence as a member of the duo BeBe & CeCe Winans; before launching an acclaimed solo career. Winans has been a ...
, Smokie Norful,
Donnie McClurkin Donald Andrew "Donnie" McClurkin, Jr. (born November 9, 1959) is an American gospel singer and minister. He has won three Grammy Awards, ten Stellar Awards, two BET Awards, two Soul Train Awards, one Dove Award and one NAACP Image Awards. He is ...
, Beyoncé Knowles, and his mother. After his performance of " The Tracks of My Tears", he was eliminated on March 28 coming in eighth place. *Paul Jolley (born January 27, 1990) is from Palmersville, Tennessee. He auditioned in Baton Rouge, singing " I Won't Let Go". He sang Carrie Underwood's " Blown Away" at the Hollywood rounds. He sang "Tonight I Wanna Cry" at the Vegas sudden death rounds. Jolley performed " Just a Fool" at the semi-final round. His musical style came from his family. He dubbed himself as the male version of Carrie Underwood. After his performance of "
Eleanor Rigby "Eleanor Rigby" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1966 album ''Revolver''. It was also issued on a double A-side single, paired with " Yellow Submarine". The song was written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to L ...
", he was eliminated on March 21 coming in ninth place. *Curtis Finch, Jr. (born August 19, 1988) is from
St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
. He has previously auditioned in the fourth and eleventh seasons, where he made it to the Las Vegas round, where he grouped with Amber along with eleventh season finalists Shannon Magrane and Joshua Ledet. He had performed "Jar of Hearts" as his final solo in the Hollywood rounds. Finch sang "
Superstar A superstar is someone who has great popular appeal and is widely known, prominent, or successful in their field. Celebrities referred to as "superstars" may include individuals who work as actors, musicians, athletes, and other media-based profe ...
" at the sudden death rounds. He performed "
I Believe I Can Fly "I Believe I Can Fly" is a song written, produced, and performed by disgraced American singer R. Kelly from the soundtrack to the 1996 film ''Space Jam''. It was originally released on November 26, 1996, and was later included on Kelly's 1998 al ...
" at the semi-final round. His personal musical style is his
gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
background. He was the first finalist eliminated on March 14 coming in tenth place.


Mariah Carey–Nicki Minaj feud

A video was leaked to
TMZ TMZ is a tabloid news website owned by Fox Corporation. It made its debut on November 8, 2005, originally as a collaboration between AOL and Telepictures, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. On September 13, 2 ...
in October 2012 which showed Minaj erupting in a tirade against Carey during the audition in
Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
. It was also claimed that Minaj was heard saying off-camera, "If I had a gun, I would shoot that bitch." Minaj however denied that she had made the threat. Ryan Seacrest said that the dispute "went a little too far", while Keith Urban jokingly said "I was the UN", and the feud elicited a comment from President
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
that Carey and Minaj will "sort it out". In an interview with
Barbara Walters Barbara Jill Walters (born September 25, 1929) is an American broadcast journalist and television personality. Known for her interviewing ability and popularity with viewers, Walters appeared as a host of numerous television programs, including ...
on '' The View'' aired on January 7, 2013, Carey said that, due to Minaj's threats, it "felt like an unsafe work environment," and claimed that she had boosted her personal security. Minaj has stated that Barbara Walters never attempted to contact her for comment regarding her side of the story. Carey also said that she has since made up with Minaj. Carey's then-husband
Nick Cannon Nicholas Scott Cannon (born October 8, 1980) is an American television host, actor, rapper, and comedian. In television, Cannon began as a teenager on ''All That'' before going on to host ''The Nick Cannon Show'', ''Wild 'n Out'', ''America's G ...
claimed that the feud was used by ''American Idol'' producers to generate interest and ratings. Producer Nigel Lythgoe however denied that he was responsible for leaking the video or that it was a publicity stunt, and said that he had no plans to use the footage in advance of or during the season. Fox executive
Mike Darnell Michael H. Darnell (born 1962) is an American television executive and former child actor. He is currently the president of unscripted and alternative television at Warner Bros. He spent nearly 19 years at the FOX network as president of alterna ...
described the buzz due to the feud as being great. The aired episode of the Charlotte audition did not show the tirade and what was shown appeared to have no real linear connection with the leaked footage. In April 2013, Carey noted during an episode of ''American Idol'' that Minaj had not had a number-one song on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The next day, Minaj took to Twitter to post what have been described as "extremely harsh" insults against Carey. She labeled the singer "insecure" and "bitter", while also referencing a widely spread rumor that the producers of ''American Idol'' wanted to bring
Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
back to the panel after a significant decline in ratings this season; "All dem #1s but JLo phone ringin? Lol. I guess having a personality, being a secure woman, and giving genuine critique still trumps that", Minaj tweeted. In November 2013, Carey stated that "''American Idol'' was like going to work every day in hell with Satan".


U.S. Nielsen ratings

The Wednesday episodes had an average viewer number of 15.04 million with a 4.6 rating in the 18/49 demo, while the Thursday episodes had an average viewer number of 14.64 million and a 4.3 in 18/49 demo. The average figure represents a 23% drop from the previous year.


References

{{American Idol American Idol seasons 2013 American television seasons