NC singers are impressing ‘American Idol’ judges. Look back at previous contestants
The 21st season of “American Idol” premiered last month, and North Carolina singers are leaving their mark.
So far this season, Durham native Ashley Tankard, 22; Raeford resident Elijah McCormick, 21; and Charlotte resident Nailyah Serenity, 22, have all earned coveted golden tickets to advance to the Hollywood round.
They join a long line of several other North Carolinians who have competed on the show — including three contestants who won their respective seasons, making North Carolina the state that’s home to the most “Idol” winners.
Here’s a look back at the other North Carolinians who have competed on “American Idol.”
2003: Clay Aiken
▪ Raleigh native Clay Aiken competed on the second season of “American Idol” and came in 2nd place.
▪ Aiken’s time on “Idol” launched a singing career that saw his debut album go multi-platinum.
▪ After “Idol,” he went on to become a bestselling author, Broadway performer and an activist for several causes, including for children with disabilities through his work with the National Inclusion Project, which he co-founded.
▪ Aiken has also competed on another reality competition show. In 2012, he competed on “The Celebrity Apprentice,” finishing in 2nd place.
▪ Aiken has also sought political office. He first ran to represent North Carolina in Congress in 2014, but lost to Renee Ellmers in the general election. He is currently running for North Carolina’s 4th congressional district.
▪ Aiken is reuniting with Rubben Studdard, the singer who won his season of “American Idol,” for a tour this spring. They’ll be in Cary’s Booth Amphitheatre on April 29 and in Charlotte on May 4.
2004: Fantasia Barrino
▪ Fantasia Barrino, from High Point, became the first North Carolinian to win “American Idol” when she competed on the show during its 3rd season.
▪ Her first single, “I Believe,” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and she went on to become a three-time Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling artist.
▪ Barrino has also performed on Broadway, first appearing in “The Color Purple” in 2007, and later guest starring in “After Midnight” in 2013 and 2014.
2006: Chris Daughtry, Kellie Pickler, Bucky Covington
Season 5 of “Idol” was a big one for North Carolina, as three North Carolinians competed on the show that year.
▪ Chris Daughtry, from McLeansville, finished in 4th place. “Daughtry,” his debut album after “Idol,” sold more than one million copies within the first five weeks of its release. He went on to form a rock band, also called Daughtry, for which he serves as lead vocalist. He is the third-most successful “Idol” alum, in terms of record sales, in the show’s history.
▪ Kellie Pickler, from Albemarle, finished in 6th place on Season 5. Her first album, “Small Town Girl,” was released in 2006 and was certified gold, selling more than 900,000 copies. She later competed on “Dancing with the Stars” and won the show’s 16th season in 2013. She also hosted a daytime TV talk show, “Pickler and Ben,” from 2017 to 2019.
▪ Bucky Covington, from Rockingham, finished in 8th place. His self-titled debut album was released in 2007 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. He released a second album in 2012.
2009: Anoop Desai
▪ Anoop Desai, who was born in Cary and eventually moved to Chapel Hill with his family, competed on the eighth season of “Idol” in 2009, finishing in a tie for 6th place.
▪ Desai attended UNC-Chapel Hill and was a member of the Clef Hangers, a campus a capella group. He cited his friendship with the late Eve Carson, the student body president who was murdered in March 2008, as a key motivation for deciding to compete on “Idol.”
2011: Scotty McCreery
▪ Garner native Scotty McCreery won Season 10 of “Idol” in 2011, when he was 17.
▪ McCreery has gone on to have a successful career as a country music singer, with his debut album being certified platinum and several other songs achieving success on the charts. In all, he has released five studio albums, including a Christmas one.
▪ McCreery’s music has inspired two Hallmark Channel films. McCreery’s song “Five More Minutes” served as the inspiration for a Hallmark Christmas movie in 2021 and again in 2022.
▪ He and his wife, Gabi, announced the birth of their first child, Merrick Avery McCreery, on Oct. 24, 2022. He is called Avery.
2014: Caleb Johnson, Majesty Rose
Two North Carolinians competed on Season 13 of “Idol” in 2014.
▪ Caleb Johnson, from Asheville, won the season, becoming North Carolina’s third winner in the show’s history. He released his debut album, “Testify” in August 2014.
▪ Majesty Rose, from Goldsboro, finished in 9th place. She released an EP, “Bloom,” in 2016.
This story was originally published March 22, 2022 at 10:41 AM with the headline "NC singers are impressing ‘American Idol’ judges. Look back at previous contestants."
