Continuing in the grand tradition of making sure that I can only remember about half of the top 24, American Idol has put together a horse race that's hard to handicap before we leave the gates.
If you've been following Hollywood week, you know that we not only witnessed what was easily one of the best performances from this stage of the competition, but did so more than once. Three contestants (at least) stand out so strongly that the idea that any of them might have actually been cut was completely laughable.
Two of them are so strong, that the trick of the show is going to be getting people to pay attention to anyone else. Crystal Bowersox (certain makeover necessities notwithstanding) is already in that fun American Idol category wherein it doesn't matter all that much if she wins or not. She'll go far as long as she isn't out the first week, and there's virtually no chance of that.
At any rate, here are a couple of videos letting you in behind-the-scenes of their photo shoots. If you're like me, you hardly recognize some of these people, so take the opportunity to get to know your finalists.
Meet the Guys!
Lee Dewyze
- Hometown: Mount Prospect, IL
- Currently Resides: Mount Prospect, IL
- Age: 23
Dewyze has been performing music since age 16. He graduated from Mount Prospect High School and enjoys playing the guitar and scuba diving.
Andrew Garcia
- Hometown: Moreno Valley, CA
- Currently Resides: Moreno Valley, CA
- Age: 24
Garcia was born in Compton, CA, and has been singing since he was 18 years old. He also enjoys playing the guitar and spending time with his son.
Tyler Grady
- Hometown: Nazareth, PA
- Currently Resides: Nazareth, PA
- Age: 20
Grady is currently a sophomore at Temple University in Philadelphia. He plays the drums and is the lead singer of a band.
Todrick Hall
- Hometown: Arlington, TX
- Currently Resides: Arlington, TX
- Age: 24
Hall grew up in Plainview, TX, and has been singing since age 10. After graduating from Bowie High School in 2003, he went on to perform on cruise ships and in theme parks.
Casey James
- Hometown: Fort Worth, TX
- Currently Resides: Fort Worth, TX
- Age: 27
James has been singing since before he could speak. He enjoys playing the guitar and mandolin, and has been a full-time musician for the past 10 years.
Aaron Kelly
- Hometown: Sonestown, PA
- Currently Resides: Sonestown, PA
- Age: 16
Kelly lives in Sonestown, PA, and is currently a senior at the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School. He also enjoys songwriting and photography.
Alex Lambert
- Hometown: Fort Worth, TX
- Currently Resides: North Richland Hills, TX
- Age: 19
Lambert was born in Fort Worth, TX, and has been singing since he was 9 years old. He is currently a senior at Richland High School.
Michael Lynche
- Hometown: Astoria, NY
- Currently Resides: Astoria, NY
- Age: 26
Lynche grew up in St. Petersburg, FL, and has been singing since he was in junior high. He played football for the University of Central Florida, and currently works as a personal trainer.
Joe Muñoz
- Hometown: Huntington Park, CA
- Currently Resides: Huntington Park, CA
- Age: 20
Muñoz has been singing since age 12. In addition to playing the guitar, he is fluent in both Spanish and English.
John Park
- Hometown: Northbrook, IL
- Currently Resides: Evanston, IL
- Age: 21
Park began singing in the seventh grade. He is fluent in Korean, and is currently an undergraduate at Northwestern University. He also plays the piano, guitar and drums.
Jermaine Sellers
- Hometown: Joliet, IL
- Currently Resides: Joliet, IL
- Age: 27
Sellers lives in his hometown of Joliet, IL, and began singing at age 7. Before auditioning for IDOL, he was singing in his local church and helping take care of his mother.
Tim Urban
- Hometown: Duncanville, TX
- Currently Resides: Duncanville, TX
- Age: 20
Urban was born and raised in Duncanville, TX, and has been singing and playing the guitar since he was 13 years old. He and his nine siblings were homeschooled by his mother.
AMERICAN IDOL: THE FINAL 12 Guys: (Front Row, L-R) Andrew Garcia, John Park, Tyler Grady, Joe Munoz and Jermaine Sellers. (Back Row, L-R) Lee Dewyze, Aaron Kelly, Tim Urban, Michael Lynche, Todrick Hall, Casey James and Alex Lambert. CR: Patrick Ecclestein / FOX.
Meet the Girls!
Didi Benami
- Hometown: Knoxville, TN
- Currently Resides: Los Angeles, CA
- Age: 23
Benami’s mother inspired her passion for music by singing to her when she was a little girl. She is currently pursuing a career in music in Los Angeles while learning to play the guitar and writing songs.
Crystal Bowersox
- Hometown: Elliston, OH
- Currently Resides: Toledo, OH
- Age: 24
Bowersox grew up on a farm in Northwest Ohio and has been playing music since she was 10 years old. She enjoys playing the piano and harmonica and spending time with her son.
Lacey Brown
- Hometown: Amarillo, TX
- Currently Resides: Amarillo, TX
- Age: 24
Brown began singing when she was 12 years old at churches and holiday parties. Before auditioning for IDOL, she was teaching classes at her parents’ church in Amarillo, TX.
Michelle Delamor
- Hometown: Miami, FL
- Currently Resides: Miami, FL
- Age: 22
Delamor was born in Miami, FL, and began singing at age 5 in church. Prior to her IDOL experience, Delamor was working in retail and conducting a children’s choir.
Katelyn Epperly
- Hometown: West Des Moines, IA
- Currently Resides: West Des Moines, IA
- Age: 19
Epperly was born in Iowa City, IA, and has been singing since she was 2 years old. She is a sophomore at Millikin University in Decatur, IL, and enjoys playing the piano.
Siobhan Magnus
- Hometown: Cape Cod, MA
- Currently Resides: Marstons Mills, MA
- Age: 20
Magnus currently lives in Marston Mills, MA, and graduated from Barnstable High School in 2008. She has been singing since age 9, and counts glassblowing as one of her hobbies.
Paige Miles
- Hometown: Naples, FL
- Currently Resides: Houston, TX
- Age: 24
Miles lives in the Houston, TX, area and started singing in church when she was 5 years old. During high school, she was a competitive cheerleader and an after-school tutor.
Ashley Rodriguez
- Hometown: Chelsea, MA
- Currently Resides: Chelsea, MA
- Age: 22
Rodriguez has been singing since she was 5 years old. She recently graduated from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she majored in music business.
Lilly Scott
- Hometown: Littleton, CO
- Currently Resides: Denver, CO
- Age: 20
Scott was born in Houston, TX, and grew up in Littleton, CO. Prior to auditioning for IDOL, she was playing music locally and was the lead singer of a band called “Varlet.”
Katie Stevens
- Hometown: Middlebury, CT
- Currently Resides: Middlebury, CT
- Age: 17
Stevens was born in Waterbury, CT, and has been singing since she was 3 years old. She enjoys playing the guitar, piano, flute and cello, and is a senior at Pomperaug High School.
Haeley Vaughn
- Hometown: Fort Collins, CO
- Currently Resides: Fort Collins, CO
- Age: 16
Vaughn currently lives in Fort Collins, CO, and is a junior at Poudre High School. In addition to playing the guitar, she is a member of the cheerleading squad.
Janell Wheeler
- Hometown: Tampa, FL
- Currently Resides: Tampa, FL
- Age: 24
Wheeler began singing and songwriting in second grade. She graduated from the University of Florida at Gainesville in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in theatre. She also enjoys playing the guitar and writing music.
AMERICAN IDOL: THE FINAL 12 GIRLS: (Seated, L-R) Katelyn Epperly, Lilly Scott, Ashley Rodriguez, Lacey Brown, Janell Wheeler and Haeley Vaughn. (Standing, L-R) Didi Benami, Michelle Delamor, Katie Stevens, Crystal Bowersox, Paige Miles and Soibhan Magnus.
Next week, the Top 24 will be split into two groups – 12 females and 12 males – and each contestant will perform a Top 10 hit from the Hot 100 chart. The fate of these 24 semifinalists – one of whom will be the next American Idol – now rests in the viewers’ hands. See what happens when the competition heats up, nerves rattle and contestants shine or fizzle out during the season’s first performance shows. The 12 female semifinalists will perform Tuesday, Feb. 23 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed), and the 12 male semifinalists will perform Wednesday, Feb. 24 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX.
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About Marc Eastman
Marc Eastman is the owner and operator of Are You Screening? and has been writing film reviews for over a decade, and several branches of the internet's film review world have seen his name. His reviews have brought him personal praise from the director of a major motion picture, and have been used as required reading in a course at a major University. These priceless rewards, along with just bags of cash, keep him from straying from freelance writing. He is also a member of The Broadcast Film Critics Association and The Broadcast Television Journalists Association.
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