Contest | American Idol Season 7 | Meet the Finalists | Poll | Forum
Get To Know The Finalists
David Archuleta
Age: 17
Hometown: Salt Lake City, UT
Audition City: San Diego
Audition song: 'Waiting On the World to Change' by John Mayer
Fun Fact: Archuleta won the Junior Singer category of TV series Star Search when he was 12. He is recovering from a partially paralyzed vocal chord. His musical influences are Natalie Cole, Stevie Wonder, Kirk Franklin and Bryan Adams.
Watch his audition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIixbF9jA5s
David Cook
Age: 25
Hometown: Tulsa, OK
Audition City: Omaha
Audition song: 'Living on a Prayer' by Bon Jovi
Fun Fact: Cook watched Season Five's finalist Chris Daughtry's old performances to get inspiration the night before his audition.
Watch his audition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaZuvPjI-FA
Colton Berry
Age: 17
Hometown: Staunton, VA
Audition City: Charleston
Fun Fact: Berry has been active in community theatre. He once sang in France with the French-American Gospel Music Workshop Exchange. He also performed in Les Misérables with ShenanArts in July 2006.
Danny Noriega
Age: 18
Hometown: Azusa, CA
Audition City: San Diego
Audition song: 'Proud Mary' by Tina Turner
Fun Fact: Noriega said he wanted to be the next American Idol to "represent a different crowd, to show people that you can be true to yourself and be different, and still make it."
Watch his audition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Spyq_W14cS8
Chikezie Eze
Age: 22
Hometown: Inglewood, CA
Audition City: San Diego
Audition song: 'All the Woman I Need' by Luther Vandross
Fun fact: Eze auditioned last season but failed to get the golden ticket. His musical influences include Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and John Legend
Watch his audition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdzRysoUUu8
Garrett Haley
Age: 17
Hometown: Elida, OH
Audition City: San Diego
Fun Fact: "I want to become the next American Idol because I feel I could be in a position to influence on the generation that's growing up now," says Haley. His musical influences include Steve Perry and the Backstreet Boys.
David Hernandez
Age: 24
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Audition City: San Diego
Fun Fact: Hernandez once competed on the talent search Arizona Idol but did not win. His musical influences include Stevie Wonder, Donnie Hathaway, Alicia Keys, Anthony Hamilton and Michael Jackson.
Watch his Hollywood week performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bX2a1sxSEY
Jason Castro
Age: 20
Hometown: Rowlett, TX
Audition City: Dallas
Fun Fact: Casto's audition was only his fifth time singing in public.
Jason Yeager
Age: 28
Hometown: Grand Prairie, TX
Audition City: Dallas
Fun Fact: Yeager grew up singing in church and his love of music led him to competitions in his school choir. He was a top 25 finalist on the TV series Making The Band.
Luke Menard
Age: 29
Hometown: Crawfordsville, IN
Audition City: Omaha
Fun Fact: Menard belongs to an acapella group called Chapter 6. His musical influences include James Taylor, John Mayer, Maroon 5, Keane, Billy Joel and Bee Gees.
Michael Johns
Age: 29
Hometown: Los Angeles/Atlanta
Audition City: San Diego
Audition song: 'I've Been Loving You Too Long' by Otis Redding
Fun Fact: Johns was born in Australia and moved to the US at the age of 18.
Watch his audition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f6cQehbA8Q
Robbie Carrico
Age: 26
Hometown: Melbourne, FL
Audition City: Miami
Fun Fact: Carrico was a member of a boy band called Boyz-N-Girlz United and once toured with Britney Spears in Europe. He is currently in a band called Missing Picket.
Watch his audition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPnedwhoBdU
Alaina Whitaker
Age: 16
Hometown: Tulsa, OK
Audition City: Dallas
Fun Fact: When the judges commented on her resemblance to Carrie Underwood, Whitaker quipped, "I'd like to think Carrie Underwood looks like me." Her musical influences include Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Patsy Cline, Christina Aguilera and Celine Dion.
Watch her audition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IHQ1yTjVhw
Amanda Overmyer
Age: 23
Hometown: Mulberry, IN
Audition City: Atlanta
Fun Fact: Overmyer is a nurse whose who caused a stir with her leather-wearing outfits and love of motorbikes. "I want to be the next American Idol because that's the American dream: take something that you love doing and make money at it."
Watch her audition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT79AWf5NpY
Alexandrea Lushington
Age: 16
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Audition City: Atlanta
Audition song: 'My Funny Valentine'
Fun Fact: Lushington brought her 93-year-old grandmother to the audition. Her musical influences include The Beatles, John Mayer and Alicia Keys.
Watch her audition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJj1BguhN6w
Asiah Epperson
Age: 19
Hometown: Joplin, MO
Audition City: Atlanta
Fun Fact: At the audition in Atlanta, Epperson performed LeAnne Rimes' 'How Do I Live' in honor of her father who passed away days before her audition.
Watch her audition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSAt1rKNwls
Brooke White
Age: 24
Hometown: Van Nuys, CA/Mesa, AZ
Audition City: Philadelphia
Fun Fact: At the audition, White claimed she had never watched an R-rated film before.
Watch her audition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jZA6iRaTpU
Carly Smithson
Age: 24
Hometown: Dublin, Ireland
Audition City: San Diego
Audition song: 'I'm Every Woman' by Chaka Khan
Fun Fact: Smithson audition in Season Five but was disqualified because of visa issues. She used to be called Carly Hennessy and landed a record deal when she was 17.
Watch her audition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD5_k6BPlFA
Joanne Borgella
Age: 25
Hometown: Hoboken, NJ
Audition City: Philadelphia
Audition song: 'I Love You' by Celine Dion
Fun Fact: Borgella is a plus-size model. She was also the 2005 winner of reality series Mo'Nique's Fat Chance. Her musical influences include Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand and Alanis Morrisette.
Watch her audition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRqmZX1LEZ8
Kady Malloy
Age: 18
Hometown: Houston, TX (H-Town)
Audition City: Dallas
Audition song: 'Unchained Melody'
Fun Fact: At the audition, she impressed the judges with her vocal impression of Britney Spears. Her musical influences include Freddy Mercury, Queen, Elton John, Billy Joel and Eva Cassidy.
Watch her audition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvEVi4St-EA
Kristy Lee Cook
Age: 24
Hometown: Selma, OR
Audition City: Philadelphia
Fun Fact: One of the judges' early favorites, Cook used to live on a farm before she moved to Texas to follow her musical dreams. Her musical influences include LeAnn Rimes, Shania Twain, Faith Hill and Whitney Houston. .
Watch her audition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8hxo--7ehU
Ramiele Malubay
Age: 20
Hometown: Miramar, FL
Audition City: Miami
Audition song: 'Natural Woman' by Aretha Frankin
Fun Fact: The Filipino-American wants to be the next Jasmine Trias, the third season finalist who has made it big in her native Philippines. Her musical influences include Aretha Franklin, Jackson 5, Mariah Carey, Lani Misalocha and Regine Velasquez.
Watch her audition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1feRqEvCV0
Syesha Mercado
Age: 21
Hometown: Miami, FL
Audition City: Miami
Audition Song: 'Think' by Aretha Franklin
Fun Fact: In the summer of 2006, she was a contestant on the music competition The One: Making a Music Star.
Watch her audition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs_s2FhwsLA
Amy Davis
Age: 25
Hometown: Cedar Lake, IN
Audition City: Dallas
Audition: 'Blue Bayou'
Fun Fact: Her grandmother is Japanese and her musical idol is folk singer Patty Griffin.
Watch her audition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA4lcVN5bRo
