The eighth 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 Tuesday, January 13, 2009, and concluded on May 20, 2009. Judges
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell (; born 7 October 1959) is an English television personality, entrepreneur and record executive. He is the creator of '' The X Factor'' and ''Got Talent'' franchises which have been sold around the world. He has judged on ...
,
Paula Abdul, and
Randy Jackson continued to judge the show's contestants, along with
Ryan Seacrest as host. The season introduced
Kara DioGuardi
Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi (; born December 9, 1970) is an American songwriter, record producer, music publisher, A&R executive, and singer. She writes music primarily in the pop rock genre. DioGuardi has worked with many popular artists; sales o ...
as the fourth judge on the ''Idol'' panel. It was also Abdul's final season as a judge.
Kris Allen
Kristopher Neil Allen (born June 21, 1985) is an American singer and songwriter from Conway, Arkansas, and the winner of the eighth season of ''American Idol''.
Prior to ''Idol'', he self-released a 2007 album, ''Brand New Shoes''.
Allen's ' ...
, a native of
Conway, Arkansas, was announced the winner of the competition on May 20, 2009, defeating runner-up
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 ...
after nearly 100 million votes were cast. This was the second season where both of the final two contestants had been in the bottom three or two at least once before the finale, with the first being
season three
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...
.
The eighth season saw numerous changes to the format of the show. There were 36 semi-finalists instead of 24, and thirteen finalists instead of twelve, nine contestants chosen by the public and four by the judges in a wild card round. Another addition was the "save," which was used on the top seven results show to veto
Matt Giraud
Matthew Scott "Matt" Giraud (born May 11, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and the fifth place finalist of the eighth season of the reality television series ''American Idol''. He was the first recipient of the Judges' Save.
...
's elimination.
Multiple contestants from this season were signed to record deals. This includes winner Kris Allen, who was then signed to
19 Entertainment
19 Entertainment is a producer of entertainment properties for television with a focus on music. Founded by Simon Fuller in London in 1985, the company co-produced ''Pop Idol'' in the United Kingdom with Thames Television in 2001. The ''Idol serie ...
/
Jive Records, runner-up Adam Lambert,
Danny Gokey
Daniel Jay Gokey (born April 24, 1980) is an American singer and former church music director from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the third-place finalist on the eighth season of ''American Idol''. ,
Allison Iraheta
Allison Iraheta (; born April 27, 1992) is an American singer from Los Angeles, California, who was the fourth place finalist on the eighth season of ''American Idol''. Prior to ''Idol'', Iraheta won the Telemundo competition ''Quinceañera: Mam ...
, Lil Rounds,
Anoop Desai
Anoop Manoj Desai (born December 20, 1986) is an American singer-songwriter and actor best known for his time as a contestant on the eighth season of ''American Idol''. Desai was the first ever 13th finalist on ''American Idol'' and was the se ...
,
Michael Sarver
Michael Sarver (born March 28, 1981) is an American singing, singer who was the tenth place finalist on the American Idol (season 8), eighth season of ''American Idol''.
Early life
Sarver was born in Sulphur, Louisiana, and graduated from Sulph ...
, and
Mickey Guyton
Mickey Guyton (; born Candace Mycale Guyton; June 17, 1983) is an American country music artist. Raised in Texas, Guyton was exposed to various types of music at a young age, and her material subsequently incorporates elements of contemporary cou ...
.
Changes from previous seasons
Several changes were planned for season eight. Fox Entertainment president
Kevin Reilly stated that ''Idol'' would feature fewer "
William Hung
William Hing Cheung Hung (; born January 13, 1983) is a Hong Kong motivational speaker and former singer who gained fame in 2004 as a result of his unsuccessful audition singing Ricky Martin's hit song " She Bangs" on the third season of th ...
-like" contestants and "funny auditions," and would quickly move its focus to the potential singers during the earlier stages of the competition, thus moving the season at a faster pace.
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 ...
, president of Fox's alternative programming, said the contestants would be more emotional and that viewers would learn more about them and their pasts than they had in the
previous season.
Songwriter and record producer
Kara DioGuardi
Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi (; born December 9, 1970) is an American songwriter, record producer, music publisher, A&R executive, and singer. She writes music primarily in the pop rock genre. DioGuardi has worked with many popular artists; sales o ...
was added as a fourth judge on the panel. She had previously collaborated with
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 ...
,
Hilary Duff
Hilary Erhard Duff (born September 28, 1987) is an American actress and singer. She is the recipient of various accolades, including seven Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, four Teen Choice Awards and two Young Artist Awards. She began her acti ...
,
Britney Spears,
Enrique Iglesias,
Leona Lewis
Leona Louise Lewis (born 3 April 1985) is a British singer, songwriter, actress and activist. Born and raised in the London Borough of Islington, she attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. Lewis achieved nationa ...
and
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 produced several
Top 40
In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or "cont ...
hits. As a songwriter, she had already worked with several American Idol alumni and winners, including
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 debu ...
,
Carrie Underwood,
David Archuleta and
David Cook David Cook may refer to:
Entertainment
* David Cook (game designer) (active since 1980s), American game designer for TSR
* David Cook (singer) (born 1982), winner of the seventh season of ''American Idol''
* David Cook (writer) (1940–2015), Briti ...
.
[Associated Press](_blank)
Meanwhile,
Ken Warwick Ken Warwick is a British television executive producer and director, most noted for producing the reality television series ''American Idol'', and ''Pop Idol''. Before being a producer he was a dancer/choreographer, previously being a member of BBC ...
became the new executive producer, as
Nigel Lythgoe
Nigel Lythgoe OBE (; born 9 July 1949), also known as Nasty Nigel, is an English television and film director and producer, television dance competition judge, former dancer in the Young Generation and choreographer. He was the producer of the ...
had left the show to focus on ''
So You Think You Can Dance
''So You Think You Can Dance'' is a franchise of reality television shows in which contestants compete in dance. The first series of the franchise, created by '' Idols'' producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, premiered in July 2005 and ha ...
'' and his new show with Simon Fuller, ''
Superstars of Dance''.
''
Idol Gives Back
''Idol Gives Back'' was the name of a charitable campaign that spanned two episodes of ''American Idol'' during its sixth season. A second ''Idol Gives Back'' concert and fundraiser occurred on April 9, 2008, during the seventh season of the s ...
'' was canceled for season 8, as the
economic crisis and recession, left ''Idol'' officials uncomfortable asking financially struggling viewers to donate. The semifinals saw the biggest change as the wild card round returned for the first time since the
third season. After voters picked three finalists from each of three groups of 12 semi-finalists, the judges selected eight of the previously eliminated 27 semifinalists to return and perform a song on the March 5, 2009, show. They were judged by the panel, instead of a vote by the viewers, with four advancing to the finals.
Although the finals had been billed from the beginning of the season as a set of 12 contestants, the judges announced at the last minute that they would be advancing a fourth wild card/thirteenth contestant,
Anoop Desai
Anoop Manoj Desai (born December 20, 1986) is an American singer-songwriter and actor best known for his time as a contestant on the eighth season of ''American Idol''. Desai was the first ever 13th finalist on ''American Idol'' and was the se ...
, as well. The eighth season also marked the first time that auditions were conducted outside the continental United States, when the show traveled to U.S. territory
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan (, , ; Spanish for "Saint John") is the capital city and most populous municipality in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2020 census, it is the 57th-largest city under the juri ...
to screen potential contestants.
Judges' Save
Another change in the ''Idol'' format is judges' save, an element previously used in France's ''
Nouvelle Star
''Nouvelle Star'' (; also known as '' À la Recherche de la Nouvelle Star'' for the first season) is a French television series based on the popular Pop Idol programme produced by FremantleMedia. It was broadcast by M6 in seasons 1–8 before ...
'' (''French Idol''). The judges were given the power to exercise a veto on one eliminated contestant in the finals and spare them from elimination for that particular week. This can only be invoked up until the Final 5 (Final 6 for the
thirteenth,
fourteenth and
seventeenth seasons.) The following week two contestants will be eliminated if the save is used because nobody is eliminated on the week that the save is used, except in
eleventh
In music or music theory, an eleventh is the note eleven scale degrees from the root of a chord and also the interval between the root and the eleventh. The interval can be also described as a compound fourth, spanning an octave plus a ...
and thirteenth seasons when only one contestant was eliminated. The save can only be used once per season and it must be unanimous. The new format change was revealed on March 11, 2009. The first recipient of the Judges' Save was
Matt Giraud
Matthew Scott "Matt" Giraud (born May 11, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and the fifth place finalist of the eighth season of the reality television series ''American Idol''. He was the first recipient of the Judges' Save.
...
and the last when the show was on Fox was
Qaasim Middleton
Qaasim Asani Malik Seawright-Middleton is an American actor and musician best known for his role in the Nickelodeon TV series '' The Naked Brothers Band''.
Qaasim also starred in the HBO documentary movie ''The Music in Me'', and finished eight ...
. The
twelfth season is the only season the judges' save was not used. Placings of the recipients have ranged from eighth place to runner-up. The judges' save retired after the
fifteenth season, but returned in the
seventeenth season (with the show airing on ABC), when the judges saved Laci Kaye Booth.
Regional auditions
Auditions began July 17 the previous year, and were held in the following cities:
Contestants were required to be between the ages 16 and 28 on July 15, 2008, and eligible to work in the United States. Contestants were ineligible if they had previously reached the semifinal in Season 1-3 and 7, or the top 44 from season 4 and 5, or top 40 from season 6. They were also ineligible if they held then current recording or management contracts or if they were not U.S. citizens or landed immigrants (i.e. temporary residents).
One auditioner who received widespread publicity was Katrina Darrell, also known as "Bikini Girl", for auditioning in her bikini. She reached the Hollywood stage but was cut in the group round.
Hollywood week
For this season, the Hollywood round moved from the
Orpheum Theatre to the
Kodak Theatre, which was previously used for the finale in seasons 1 and 3–6. In addition, the Hollywood round was extended to two weeks.
In the first round, the 147 contestants each sang a short solo a cappella performance of any song. The next round had the remaining 107 contestants performing in groups of three or four. Group rounds had returned since season 6. The 72 contestants that passed group day performed one more solo song, this time accompanied by a band, before being narrowed down to 54. The final 54 then went to the "judges' mansion" in Los Angeles for the final results, and the Top 36 were announced. Some contestants had a sing-off to determine who would enter the top 36. Lacey Brown, who lost in a sing-off with 9th placer Megan Joy, later made the following season's Top 12 where she became the first finalist voted out.
Semifinals
The 36 contestants performed in three groups of twelve and sang songs that were
''Billboard'' Hot 100 hits. In each group, three people advanced to the next round via a public vote, while the next highest vote recipient of the remaining ten contestants in each group. Each week two males advanced however it was never revealed who was the highest voted and which advanced through the non-gender specific slot.
Color key:
Group 1
Group 2
Due to the
2009 Speech to the Joint Session of the United States Congress that held on February 24, which falls on a Tuesday, the performance show was moved to Wednesday, February 25, and results on Thursday, February 26.
Group 3
Wild Card
Following those nine singers advancing, judges pick eight of the remaining 27 semi-finalists to compete in the Wild Card round. Following another performance by each Wild Card contender, the judges selected four contestants to advance to the final group of 13.
Finalists
Kris Allen
Kristopher Neil Allen (born June 21, 1985) is an American singer and songwriter from Conway, Arkansas, and the winner of the eighth season of ''American Idol''.
Prior to ''Idol'', he self-released a 2007 album, ''Brand New Shoes''.
Allen's ' ...
(born June 21, 1985, in
Jacksonville, Arkansas
Jacksonville is a city in Pulaski County, Arkansas, United States, and a suburb of Little Rock. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city was 28,364. It is part of the Little Rock– North Little Rock– Conway Metropolitan Statistical Ar ...
, 23 years old at the time of the show) is from
Conway, Arkansas and auditioned in
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
with
Leon Russell's "
A Song For You". Allen's interest in music began at an early age; he taught himself how to play guitar at the age of 13, as well as numerous other instruments. Prior to ''Idol'', he worked as a worship leader at New Life Church in Maumelle, Arkansas, and is a member of Chi Alpha Campus Ministries at the University of Central Arkansas, where he is a business major. Allen was announced the winner on May 20.
He went on to release his first official single, "
No Boundaries", which was written by Idol judge Kara DioGuardi. As a part of winning ''Idol'', Allen was signed by
Jive Records and 19 Entertainment.
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 ...
(born January 29, 1982, in
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...
, 26 years at the time of his audition) is from
San Diego, California
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United Stat ...
and auditioned in
San Francisco, California
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
with
Queen
Queen or QUEEN may refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom
** List of queens regnant
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
's "
Bohemian Rhapsody
"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen, released as the lead single from their fourth album, '' A Night at the Opera'' (1975). Written by lead singer Freddie Mercury, the song is a six-minute suite, notable for its lack o ...
". Lambert grew up in
Rancho Peñasquitos, San Diego, California and attended Deer Canyon Elementary School,
Mesa Verde Middle School, and
Mt. Carmel High School, where he took part in theater and choir, and also performed with the school's jazz band.
Lambert has been a stage actor since the age of ten, performing in such productions as ''
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
''You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown'' is a 1967 musical with music and lyrics by Clark Gesner and (in a 1999 revision) Andrew Lippa. It is based on the characters created by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz in his comic strip ''Peanuts''. The musical ...
'' and ''
Wicked
Wicked may refer to:
Books
* Wicked, a minor character in the ''X-Men'' universe
* '' Wicked'', a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name
* ''Wicked'', the fifth novel in Sara Shepard's ''Pretty Little Liars'' s ...
''. He joined the band The Citizen Vein briefly. He also worked as a demo singer, and those recordings were released after his appearance on ''Idol'' in the album ''
Take One''. Lambert roomed with Kris Allen during the show. Lambert was the runner-up.
He was signed to
RCA Records
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
after the show and released his debut album ''
For Your Entertainment''.
Danny Gokey
Daniel Jay Gokey (born April 24, 1980) is an American singer and former church music director from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the third-place finalist on the eighth season of ''American Idol''. (born April 24, 1980, 28 years at the time of his audition) is from
Milwaukee
Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee ...
,
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
and auditioned in
Kansas City, Missouri. Gokey first began singing in church with his family, and has been a worship leader for his church in Milwaukee, Faith Builders International Ministries, for several years. Four weeks before Gokey auditioned for ''American Idol'', in July 2008, his wife Sophia underwent surgery due to
congenital heart disease
A congenital heart defect (CHD), also known as a congenital heart anomaly and congenital heart disease, is a defect in the structure of the heart or great vessels that is present at birth. A congenital heart defect is classed as a cardiovascular ...
. She later died from complications regarding the extensive surgery.
["Milwaukee man says he's prepared to give his all to make 'Idol' finals"](_blank)
by Tim Cuprisin, Feb. 13, 2009, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He was eliminated from the Top 3 on May 13, 2009.
Allison Iraheta
Allison Iraheta (; born April 27, 1992) is an American singer from Los Angeles, California, who was the fourth place finalist on the eighth season of ''American Idol''. Prior to ''Idol'', Iraheta won the Telemundo competition ''Quinceañera: Mam ...
(born April 27, 1992, in
Glendale, California, 16 years at the time of her audition) is from
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
and auditioned in
San Francisco, California
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
. Iraheta began singing at an early age, performing at small venues for her family and friends. In 2006, Iraheta won the
Telemundo
Telemundo (; formerly NetSpan) is an American Spanish-language terrestrial television network owned by NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, a division of NBCUniversal, which in turn is owned by Comcast. It provides content nationally with pr ...
television series ''Quinceañera'', where she won $50,000 and a recording contract, where only the prize money was granted. She was eliminated from the Top 4 on May 6. In making the final she became the series' youngest finalist at sixteen and turned seventeen during the Top 5 week. Her debut album, ''
Just Like You'', was released on December 1, 2009, with the single "
Friday I'll Be Over U".
Matt Giraud
Matthew Scott "Matt" Giraud (born May 11, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and the fifth place finalist of the eighth season of the reality television series ''American Idol''. He was the first recipient of the Judges' Save.
...
(born May 11, 1985, in
Dearborn, Michigan, 23 years at his time of the show) is from
Kalamazoo, Michigan and auditioned in
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
with
Gavin DeGraw's "
I Don't Want to Be
"I Don't Want to Be" is a song by American singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw from his 2003 debut album, '' Chariot''. The song gained exposure after being featured as the opening theme to The CW teen drama series ''One Tree Hill'', and it was relea ...
". Giraud grew up in
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Ypsilanti (), commonly shortened to Ypsi, is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan.
As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 20,648. The city is bounded to the north by Superior Township and on the west, south, an ...
, where he graduated from Lincoln High School in 2003.
Initially eliminated from the Top 13, Giraud was chosen by the judges to rejoin the competition during the Wild Card round. Giraud was the lowest vote-getter during the Top 7, but was saved by the judges and eventually eliminated in Top 5. He released an album called ''Perspective'' in 2003 and another in 2006 called ''Mind Body and Soul''.
Anoop Desai
Anoop Manoj Desai (born December 20, 1986) is an American singer-songwriter and actor best known for his time as a contestant on the eighth season of ''American Idol''. Desai was the first ever 13th finalist on ''American Idol'' and was the se ...
(born December 20, 1986, in
Cary, North Carolina
Cary is a town in Wake and Chatham counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina and is part of the Raleigh–Cary, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2020 Census, its population was 174,721, making it the seventh largest mun ...
, 22 years at the time of the show) is from
Chapel Hill, North Carolina and auditioned in
Kansas City, Missouri. Desai is an
only child
An only child is a person with no siblings, by birth or adoption.
Children who have half-siblings, step-siblings, or have never met their siblings, either living at the same house or at a different house—especially those who were born consider ...
, whose father was born in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and mother was born in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
. He began his career as an actor for the television station
WRAL-TV
WRAL-TV (channel 5) is a television station licensed to Raleigh, North Carolina, United States, serving as the NBC affiliate for the Research Triangle area. It is the flagship station of the locally based Capitol Broadcasting Company, which h ...
in
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southe ...
in a local television series entitled ''CentralXpress.com'', and played the character "Raj". Desai attended
Carnage Middle School and
Phillips Middle School, then later went on to attend
East Chapel Hill High School, graduating in 2004. Desai's performance as a soloist on the song "She Has No Time" was included on the 2007 iteration of the annual BOCA (Best of College A Cappella) compilation album. Desai has credited his decision to audition for ''American Idol'' to the death of a friend,
Eve Carson
On the morning of March 5, 2008, Eve Marie Carson was shot and killed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States where she was a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Demario James Atwater and Laurence Alvin Lovette Jr., ...
,
who was murdered.
Initially eliminated from the Top 13, he was chosen by the judges to rejoin the competition during the Wild Card round. His advancement to the finals made ''Idol'' history, making it a top 13.
![Lil Rounds](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Lil_Rounds.jpg)
Lil Rounds (born October 20, 1984, 24 years at the time of the show) is from
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...
and auditioned in
Kansas City, Missouri with
Stevie Wonder's "
All I Do" . Shortly before her audition on ''Idol'', a
tornado
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, altho ...
hit Memphis, forcing Rounds to temporarily live in a motel. Her grandfather once worked with the musician
B.B. King
Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shi ...
. Her performance of
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...
's "
I Will Always Love You" in the Hollywood round impressed the judges; however, she failed to impress the judges in the finals and was eliminated in joint-seventh place with Anoop Desai.
Scott MacIntyre
Scott Douglas MacIntyre (born June 22, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist, and the eighth place finalist on the eighth season of ''American Idol''. MacIntyre is visually impaired, and while not completely blind, he has tun ...
(born June 22, 1985, 23 years at the time of the show) is from
Scottsdale, Arizona
, settlement_type = City
, named_for = Winfield Scott
, image_skyline =
, image_seal = Seal of Scottsdale (Arizona).svg
, image_blank_emblem = City of Scottsdale Script Logo.svg
, nick ...
and auditioned in
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1,608,139 residents as of 2020. It is the fifth-most populous city in the United States, and the on ...
. MacIntyre is the first legally blind person to audition for ''American Idol''.
MacIntyre began practicing music at the age of six.
Home-schooled until the age of fourteen, he later attended Arizona State University's Barrett Honors College and
Herberger College of the Arts soon afterwards. In 2005, ''USA Today'' named him one of its twenty College Academic All-Stars. He obtained his master's degree at
Royal Holloway
Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), formally incorporated as Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, is a public research university and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It has six schools, 21 academic departm ...
,
University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
and the
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire established by royal charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, UK. It offers training from the undergraduate to the doctoral level in all aspects of Western Music including performanc ...
, where he studied on a
Marshall Scholarship
The Marshall Scholarship is a postgraduate scholarship for "intellectually distinguished young Americans ndtheir country's future leaders" to study at any university in the United Kingdom. It is widely considered one of the most prestigious sc ...
. MacIntyre produced his first CD when he was eleven, and has recorded five more CDs since then. He was accepted to both
Oxford University
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to th ...
and
Cambridge University
The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III of England, Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world' ...
for further graduate-level education.
Megan Joy
Megan Joy (born September 18, 1985, as Megan Joy Knudsen), is an American singer-songwriter and actress from Taylorsville, Utah, who was the ninth place finalist on the eighth season of ''American Idol''. Joy released her debut album, ''Megan Jo ...
(born September 18, 1985, 23 years at the time of the show) is a single mother from
Sandy, Utah
Sandy is a city in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, located in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. The population of Sandy was 87,461 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth-largest city in Utah. The population is currently estimated ...
and auditioned in
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...
with
Helen Morgan's "
Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
"Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" with music by Jerome Kern, and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, is one of the most famous songs from their classic 1927 musical play '' Show Boat'', adapted from Edna Ferber's 1926 novel.
Context
The song, written i ...
". Initially eliminated from the Top 13, Joy was chosen by the judges to rejoin the competition during the Wild Card round. In high school, Joy unsuccessfully tried out for numerous performance groups, including
choir
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...
, and never had any singing lessons before her audition on ''Idol''. Joy graduated from
Taylorsville High School in
Taylorsville, Utah
Taylorsville is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah. It is part of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The population was 60,448 at the time of the 2020 census. Taylorsville was incorporated from the Taylorsville–Bennion CDP and portions of t ...
in 2003. She has one son named Ryder.
Michael Sarver
Michael Sarver (born March 28, 1981) is an American singing, singer who was the tenth place finalist on the American Idol (season 8), eighth season of ''American Idol''.
Early life
Sarver was born in Sulphur, Louisiana, and graduated from Sulph ...
(born March 28, 1981, in
Sulphur, Louisiana, 27 years at the time of the show) is from
Jasper, Texas
Jasper is a city in and the county seat of Jasper County, Texas, United States. Its population was 6,884 at the 2020 U.S. Census, down from 7,590 at the 2010 U.S. Census. Jasper is situated in the Deep East Texas subregion, about west of the Te ...
and auditioned in
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1,608,139 residents as of 2020. It is the fifth-most populous city in the United States, and the on ...
with
Boyz II Men's "
Thank You
"''Thank you''" (often expanded to ''thank you very much'' or ''thanks a lot'', or informally abbreviated to ''thanks'' or alternately as ''many thanks''Geoffrey Leech, ''The Pragmatics of Politeness'' (2014), p. 200.) is a common expression of ...
". Sarver, an
oil rig
{{about, , the mnemonic OIL RIG, Redox
An oil rig is any kind of apparatus constructed for oil drilling.
Kinds of oil rig include:
* Drilling rig, an apparatus for on-land oil drilling
* Drillship, a floating apparatus for offshore oil drilling ...
worker, began singing at the age of twelve, and has written over 890 songs for himself since that time. Sarver graduated from
Sulphur High School in 1998.
![Alexis Grace](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Alexis_Grace.jpg)
Alexis Grace (born August 14, 1987, 21 years at the time of the show) is from
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...
and auditioned in
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
with
Aretha Franklin's "
Dr Feelgood". She gave birth to her daughter when she was nineteen. Grace began singing at an early age. She performed Aretha Franklin's "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" and
Carrie Underwood's "
Before He Cheats
"Before He Cheats" is a song by American singer Carrie Underwood from her debut studio album, '' Some Hearts'' (2005). Written by Chris Tompkins and Josh Kear, it was released as the fourth single from the album. The song tells the story of a wo ...
" in the Hollywood rounds.
Jorge Núñez (born October 1, 1987, in
Cidra, Puerto Rico
Cidra () is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the central region of the island, north of Cayey; south of Comerío and Aguas Buenas; east of Aibonito and Barranquitas; and west of Caguas. Cidra is spread over 12 barrios and ...
, 21 years at the time of the show) is from
Carolina, Puerto Rico
Carolina (; ) is a city and municipality located on the northeast coast of Puerto Rico. It lies immediately east of the capital San Juan and Trujillo Alto; north of Gurabo and Juncos; and west of Canóvanas and Loíza. Carolina is spread over ...
, and auditioned in
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan (, , ; Spanish for "Saint John") is the capital city and most populous municipality in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2020 census, it is the 57th-largest city under the juri ...
. For the audition, he sang "
My Way
"My Way" is a song popularized in 1969 by Frank Sinatra set to the music of the French song "Comme d'habitude" composed by Jacques Revaux with lyrics by Gilles Thibaut and Claude François and first performed in 1967 by Claude François. Its E ...
" in Spanish and
Louis Armstrong's "
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 ...
" in English. Núñez speaks three languages fluently, English, Spanish and French. After he sang during the third semi-finals week, many people were amazed by his big voice, including
Marc Anthony and
Jennifer Lopez, who had stated they wanted to perform with him. He performed
Jon Secada
Juan Francisco Secada Ramírez (born October 4, 1961), better known as Jon Secada, is a Cuban-born American singer. He has won two Grammy Awards and sold 15 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists. His music fu ...
's "Angel" during the Hollywood round. Of the Top 13, Núñez was the only contestant who auditioned in Puerto Rico. He was the eliminated from the Top 13 in the first week of the finals, along with
Jasmine Murray.
Jasmine Murray (born March 14, 1992, in
Columbus, Mississippi, 16 years old at the time of the show) is from
Starkville, Mississippi and auditioned in
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...
. Initially eliminated from the Top 13, Murray was chosen by the judges to rejoin the competition during the Wild Card round. In addition to competing on ''Idol'', she competed in the
Miss America's Outstanding Teen
Miss America's Outstanding Teen is an American scholarship pageant. It is the sister program to the Miss America Organization, and it aims to "promote scholastic achievement, creative accomplishment, healthy living and community involvement for ...
pageant in 2007.
[ ] She was eliminated from the Top 13 in the first week of the finals, along with Jorge Núñez.
Finals
There are 11 weeks of finals and 13 contestants compete and at least one finalist eliminated per week based on the American public's votes. New to this series is the "Judge's save", where the judges can veto the elimination for one contestant, making the week a non-elimination, but by doing so, the week after the save is used will become a double elimination. The first week of 'Top 13' is a double elimination, making it the first season in ''American Idol'' to have two double elimination weeks in the final phase.
Color key:
Top 13 –
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
During the first week, Alexis Grace's phone number was temporarily replaced from 1-866-IDOLS-13 to 1-866-IDOLS-36 as the former number was not owned by the program (see
telephone number
A telephone number is a sequence of digits assigned to a landline telephone subscriber station connected to a telephone line or to a wireless electronic telephony device, such as a radio telephone or a mobile telephone, or to other devices f ...
controversy below).
This episode reran on June 29, 2009, in a tribute to the
death of Michael Jackson
On June 25, 2009, American singer Michael Jackson died of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication at his home on North Carolwood Drive in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. His physician, Conrad Murray, said tha ...
on June 25. To date, this became the only episode of the show to by Fox. Cowell had originally hoped for Jackson to perform on the show as part of his comeback tour.
Top 11 – Grand Ole Opry
Contestants performed songs based on the country music concert,
Grand Ole Opry, for this week. Country singer
Randy Travis served as the guest mentor this week.
Top 10 – Motown
Smokey Robinson served as the guest mentor this week. The show aired on a Wednesday/Thursday, March 25 and 26, as the Tuesday was pre-empted by the White House Press Conference.
Top 9 – Popular iTunes Downloads
Contestants performed songs which they have charted high in their music streaming library
iTunes.
Top 8 – Year They Were Born
Top 7 (first week) – Songs of the Cinema
Film actor/director
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, dark humor, non-linear storylines, cameos, ensembl ...
served as the guest mentor this week.
Top 7 (second week) – Disco
Top 5 – Rat Pack Standards
The contestants sang one song from an entertainer. Entertainer and comedian
Jamie Foxx
Eric Marlon Bishop (born December 13, 1967), known professionally as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He became widely known for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the 2004 biographical film ''Ray'', for which he won the A ...
served as the guest mentor this week.
Top 4 – Rock music
For the first time this season, each contestant performed two songs: a solo and one duet with a fellow contestant.
Slash
Slash may refer to:
* Slash (punctuation), the "/" character
Arts and entertainment Fictional characters
* Slash (Marvel Comics)
* Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'')
Music
* Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band
* Nash ...
served as the guest mentor this week.
Top 3 – Judges' choice and Contestants' choice
Each contestant sang two songs, each chosen by the judges and the contestant itself.
Top 2 – Contestant's choice,
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 s ...
's choice & Winner's single
Each contestant sang three songs, chosen by the contestant, the mentor Fuller, and one song for their debut single, "
No Boundaries".
Elimination chart
Color key:
Other performances
Group song
*Top 36/Group 1: "
I'm Yours" by
Jason Mraz
Jason Thomas Mraz (; born June 23, 1977) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He rose to prominence with the release of his debut studio album, ''Waiting for My Rocket to Come'' (2002), which spawned the single " The Remedy (I Won't ...
*Top 36/Group 2: "
Closer" by
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, and record producer. He gained fame for his songwriting abilities when he penned Mario's 2004 hit " Let Me Love You ...
*Top 36/Group 3: "
Hot n Cold
"Hot n Cold" is a song by American singer Katy Perry. The song was written by Perry, Dr. Luke, and Max Martin and produced by Luke and Benny Blanco for her second studio album, '' One of the Boys'' (2008). It was released as the album's second ...
" by
Katy Perry
*Top 13: "
I Want You Back
"I Want You Back" is the first national single by the Jackson 5. It was released by Motown on October 6, 1969, and became the first number-one hit for the band on January 31, 1970. It was performed on the band's first television appearances, on ...
/
ABC Medley" by
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most o ...
*Top 11: "
T-R-O-U-B-L-E" by
Travis Tritt
James Travis Tritt (born February 9, 1963) is an American country music singer and songwriter. He signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1989, releasing seven studio albums and a greatest hits package for the label between then and 1999. In the 20 ...
*Top 10: "
Motown" Medley: "
You Keep Me Hangin' On
"You Keep Me Hangin' On" is a song written and composed by Holland–Dozier–Holland. It was first recorded in 1966 by American Motown girl group the Supremes, reaching number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. American rock band Vanilla Fudge ...
" by
The Supremes
The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successf ...
/"
You're All I Need to Get By
"You're All I Need to Get By" is a song recorded by the American R&B/soul duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell and released on Motown Records' Tamla label in 1968. It was the basis for the 1995 single "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Ge ...
" by
Marvin Gaye and
Tammi Terrell
Tammi Terrell (born Thomasina Winifred Montgomery; April 29, 1945 – March 16, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter, widely known as a star singer for Motown Records during the 1960s, notably for a series of duets with singer Marvin Gaye.
...
/"
Ain't No Mountain High Enough
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is a song written by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson in 1966 for the Tamla label, a division of Motown. The composition was first successful as a 1967 hit single recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and ...
" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
*Top 9: "
Don't Stop Believin'
"Don't Stop Believin' is a song by American rock band Journey. It was released in October 1981 as the second single from the group's seventh studio album, ''Escape'' (1981), released through Columbia Records. "Don't Stop Believin'" shares writ ...
" by
Journey
Journey or journeying may refer to:
* Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations
** Day's journey, a measurement of distance
** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road
Animals
* Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...
*Top 8: "
Can't Get You Out of My Head
"Can't Get You Out of My Head" is a song that was recorded by Australian singer Kylie Minogue for her eighth studio album, ''Fever'' (2001). Parlophone Records released the song as the album's lead single on 8 September 2001. "Can't Get ...
" by
Kylie Minogue
*Top 7 (week 1): "
Maniac
Maniac (from Greek μανιακός, ''maniakos'') is a pejorative for an individual who experiences the mood known as mania. In common usage, it is also an insult for someone involved in reckless behavior.
Maniac may also refer to:
Film
* ' ...
" by
Michael Sembello
Michael Andrew Sembello (born April 17, 1954) is an American singer, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, composer and producer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Sembello was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his 1983 song "M ...
from ''
Flashdance
''Flashdance'' is a 1983 American romantic drama dance film directed by Adrian Lyne and starring Jennifer Beals as a passionate young dancer who aspires to become a professional ballerina (Alex), alongside Michael Nouri playing her boyfriend ...
''
*Top 7 (week 2): "
Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)
"Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" is a song recorded by The Jacksons for their 1978 album ''Destiny'', and released as a single the same year. It peaked at No. 7 in the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in May 1979.
Background
The most successful of t ...
" by
The Jacksons
The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most ...
; choreographed by Paula Abdul
*Top 5: "
It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
"It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" is a 1931 composition by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Irving Mills. It is now accepted as a jazz standard, and jazz historian Gunther Schuller characterized it as "now legendary" and "a pro ...
" and "
I Got Rhythm
"I Got Rhythm" is a piece composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin and published in 1930, which became a jazz standard. Its chord progression, known as the " rhythm changes", is the foundation for many other popular jazz tunes suc ...
"
*Top 4: "
School's Out" by
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...
*Top 3: The Top 3 did not perform a group routine.
*Top 2: Top 13 performed "
So What" by
Pink
Pink is the color of a namesake flower that is a pale tint of red. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, politeness, ...
and Top 2 performed
Queen's "
We Are The Champions
"We Are the Champions" is a song by the British rock band Queen, released from the band's sixth album ''News of the World'' (1977). Written by lead singer Freddie Mercury, it remains among rock's most recognisable anthems. " who were guest performers
Guest performances
In addition, songs are played during the elimination night to promote an artist, single, album, or the show itself. Included is a list of those songs with their ''
Billboard''
Hot 100 and
Hot Digital Songs
The Digital Songs or Digital Song Sales chart (previously named Hot Digital Songs) ranks the best-selling digital songs in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by ''Billboard'' magazine. Although it originally starte ...
reactions.
Finale
The finale took place at the
Nokia Theatre on May 20, 2009.
Musical Performances:
"So What" (Pink) - Top 13
"Permanent" (David Cook) - David Cook
"Cue the Rain" (Queen Latifah) - Queen Latifah & Lil Rounds
"I'm Yours" (Jason Mraz) - Jason Mraz, Anoop Desai & Alexis Grace (the rest of the top 13 minus Kris & Adam joined at the end of the song)
"Kiss a Girl" (Keith Urban) - Keith Urban & Kris Allen
"Glamorous" (Fergie) - Top 13 girls (Alison Iraheta, Lil Rounds, Megan Joy, Alexis Grace & Jasmine Murray)
"Big Girls Don't Cry" (Fergie) - Fergie with Top 13 girls
"Boom Boom Pow" (The Black Eyed Peas) - The Black Eyed Peas
"Time After Time" (Cyndi Lauper) - Cyndi Lauper & Alison Iraheta
"Hello" (Lionel Richie) - Danny Gokey
"Just Go" (Lionel Richie) - Lionel Richie & Danny Gokey
"All Night Long" (Lionel Richie) - Lionel Richie & Danny Gokey
"Beth" (KISS) - Adam Lambert
"Detroit Rock City" (KISS) - KISS & Adam Lambert
"Rock and Roll All Night" (KISS) - KISS & Adam Lambert
"Black Magic Woman" (Santana) - Carlos Santana & Matt Giraud
"Smooth" (Santana) - Carlos Santana & Top 13
"Pretty Flowers" (Steve Martin) - Megan Joy, Michael Sarver with Steve Martin playing banjo
"Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" (Rod Stewart) - Top 13 guys (Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey, Matt Giraud, Annop Desai, Scott MacIntyre, Michael Sarver, Jorge Nunez)
"Maggie May" (Rod Stewart) - Rod Stewart
"We Are the Champions" (Queen) - Queen, Kris Allen & Adam Lambert (later joined by the rest of the top 13)
"No Boundaries" (Kris Allen) - Kris Allen
Idol Awards:
Outstanding Male - Nick Mitchell (as Norman Gentle) "And I'm Not Going" (Dreamgirls)
Best Attitude Katrina Derrel (bikini girl) "Vision of Love" with Kara DioGuardi
Outstanding Female - Tatiana Del Toro "Saving All My Love"
Controversies
Joanna Pacitti
Joanna Pacitti, who was originally selected as a semi-finalist, created controversy due to her being previously signed to A&M and Geffen Records. Later, she was found to have been having a "private relationship" with 19 Management. She was later disqualified and replaced by Felicia Barton.
Telephone number
In the Top 13, the expected phone number for contestant Alexis Grace, 1-866-IDOLS-13, was not owned by American Idol, but by a company called Intimate Encounters, who used it as a
phone sex line. Although host Ryan Seacrest mentioned the replacement phone number, 1-866-IDOLS-36, several times, some commentators feared that the phone number confusion could lead to Grace being inadvertently voted off the show.
However, Grace was not voted off that week.
Lip-syncing
After the Top 11 program,
Justin Guarini
Justin Guarini (born Justin Eldrin Bell; October 28, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter and actor who in 2002 was the runner-up on the first season of ''American Idol''.
Early life
Guarini was born in Columbus, Georgia. His father, Eldr ...
, while hosting ''Idol Wrap'' on TV Guide channel, asserted that the show's group performances were being
lip-sync
Lip sync or lip synch (pronounced , the same as the word ''sink'', short for lip synchronization) is a technical term for matching a speaking or singing person's lip movements with sung or spoken vocals.
Audio for lip syncing is generated th ...
ed.
Soon after Guarini's assertion was aired, a spokesperson for the producers of ''American Idol'' said, "The Idols don't lip-sync, period."
[ The following day, the same spokesperson said that "due to extensive choreography and to balance their voices with open mics against a screaming audience, the Idols do sing along to their own prerecorded vocal track during the group performances only."][ The spokesperson maintained that the performers sing their solo songs live, but their performances available to download through iTunes are recorded prior to airing.][
]
Finale vote
Kris Allen's win over Adam Lambert resulted in controversy about the voting process, prompted by a claim that of the nearly 100 million votes cast, as many as "38 million" votes may have come from Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...
, which was Kris's home state, despite the fact that the state only had a population of 2.86 million people at the time. Although the claim was later retracted, it resulted in allegations that AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the world's largest telecommunications company by revenue and the third largest provider of mobile te ...
may have influenced the results. 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 sp ...
had previously denied these claims as baseless, stating that the network has no preference on who the winner might be. AT&T meanwhile said in a statement that the vote tally above was based on incorrect information and apologized by saying that "AT&T does not divulge or confirm how many votes were cast in any state." On May 27, 2009, the producers of the show stated that they "stand by the outcome" and are "absolutely certain" that "without a doubt Kris Allen is the American Idol."
Awards and nominations
Primetime Emmy Awards
Teen Choice Awards
U.S. Nielsen ratings
Season eight was the top show for the 2008–09 broadcast primetime season and took the top two spots for its Tuesday and Wednesday episodes. The viewers number for the Wednesday episodes averaged 25.527 million, while the Tuesday episodes averaged 24.741 million. The ratings were down from season seven, with the finale dropping 13% in the 18–49 demo and 9% in total viewers number.
See also
* List of American Idol episodes: Season 8
* American Idols LIVE! Tour 2009
Notes
References
External links
American Idol Official Website
MTV's American Idol Coverage
*
{{TopUSTVShows
American Idol seasons
2009 American television seasons
Television shows directed by Bruce Gowers