Have you heard the news?! Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez are (officially) the newest judges on American Idol! As a big fan of the show, I tuned in online to see the formal announcement live (unfortunately for me, I got most of the view, but not much of the sound). I was actually saving this post until right before season 10 starts, but since American Idol is at the forefront today, I might as well put it out there. You might not know this, but many past contenders (and a few winners) have been involved in Christian music (and been doing well). So, in honor of the new judges, I present 10 AI alumni in Christian music (in no particular order):
1. Mandisa
Season: 5th
Standing: 9th
Most known for: being a target of Simon Cowell's jokes about her weight
Contributions: 2 Gospel albums (Grammy-nominated True Beauty, Freedom), 3rd album to be released in 2011; featured speaker at the "Women of Faith" conferences in 2009; featured singer on TobyMac's "Lose My Soul"
2. George Huff
Season: 3rd
Standing: 5th
Most known for: being Simon Cowell's wildcard pick
Contributions: 2 Gospel albums (Miracles, George Huff); nominated for a 2006 Dove Award (Gospel Music Association's (GMA) answer to the Grammys)
3. Chris Sligh
Season: 6th
Standing: 10th
Most known for: embarrassing Simon Cowell about an album he was producing involving the Teletubbies (no joke!), co-writing "Here Comes Goodbye" by Rascal Flats
Contributions: 2 Christian albums (Running Back to You, The Anatomy of Broken); headlining the (now-defunct) band, Half Past Forever
4. Ruben Studdard
Season: 2nd
Standing: 1st
Most known for: winning Season 2 against Clay Aiken, representing his home state of Alabama
Contributions: His Gospel album, I Need an Angel, was the highest selling Gospel debut since Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation Project
5. Carrie Underwood
Season: 4th
Standing: 1st
Most known for: being the first country artist to win American Idol
Contribution: Her Gospel-inspired "Jesus Take the Wheel" won both the 2006 Grammy for Country Song of the Year (amongst other Grammy Awards) and the 2006 Dove Award for Country Song of the Year
6. Chris Daughtry
Season: 5th
Standing: 4th
Most known for: proving a rocker could make it far in American Idol
Contribution: Pre-Idol, Daughtry was a member of Christian rock band Absent Element; with his present band, Daughtry, the single "Home" reached #12 on Billboard's Hot Christian Songs; sang back-up on Third Day's "Slow Down"
7. Jordin Sparks
Season: 6th
Standing: 1st
Most known for: being the youngest American Idol winner (she was 17 at the time)
Contribution: Although she doesn't make Christian music, she has toured with Michael W. Smith and was Overall Spotlight Winner at the 2004 GMA Academy and took top prize in the Country/Southern Gospel category
8. Phil Stacey
Season: 6th
Standing: 5th/6th (I don't know...he was in a double elimination)
Most known for: missing his daughter's birth to audition
Contribution: He was already a music minister before auditioning for Idol and his second album Into the Light, returns to his Christian roots after releasing a country album in 2008.
9. Danny Gokey
Season: 8th
Standing: 3rd
Most known for: auditioning for American Idol despite losing his wife a few weeks earlier, who was a fan of the show
Contribution: Although he isn't a Christian artist, he was nominated for a Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) award in 2009 for Best Christian/Gospel Artist of the Year for his work as a worship director at his Milwaukee church. This year, he is nominated for 2 Inspirational Country Music Awards.
10. Melinda Dolittle
Season: 6th
Standing: 3rd
Most known for: being a front-runner throughout the season, despite having nerves in her audition
Contribution: Although not a Gospel singer herself, she has performed back-up for famous Gospel artists such as Kirk Franklin and BeBe & CeCe Winans. In fact, she performed with BeBe & CeCe during the season finale.
Update: I have YouTube links up to some of the songs I mentioned in the post. I might post a few more in the future.
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