Michael Lee Johns

Michael Lee Johns (born Michael Lee, October 20, 1978 in Perth, Western Australia) is a 29-year-old, originally from Australia, who lives in Buckhead (Atlanta) and auditioned in San Diego. Prior to Idol, he joined the band The Film under the name Michael Lee and was scheduled to release an album in 2003 on Madonna's record label, Maverick Records. Johns abruptly left the band just prior to signing a record deal, and negotiated a solo management contract instead. He then created a new band, The Rising, who were then under contract with Madonna's Maverick Records label. Maverick dropped the band's contract before an album was released, but The Rising released the album independently, on which Johns wrote many of the tracks. After moving to the United States in 1998, Johns changed his name from Michael Lee to Michael Johns. Before focusing on his singing career, Johns was a keen sportsman. He won a tennis scholarship at the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia to become a professional tennis player. He also played Australian rules football for the USAFL club Atlanta Kookaburras.

Brooke White

Brooke White (born 1983, Mesa, Arizona) is an American singer and a top 12 finalist on the seventh season of American Idol. White worked as a nanny prior to auditioning for Idol. She has also performed as a solo artist with a backup band. White began singing at age 15 and also plays the piano and guitar, with her vocal skills and piano playing impressing all three judges during Hollywood week.

White is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

She graduated high school from Heritage Academy in 2001. She currently lives in Van Nuys, California.

Carly Smithson

Carly Smithson (née Hennessy) (born September 12, 1983) is a singer, originally from Ireland but now living in San Diego, who is as of March 6, 2008 a finalist on the seventh season of American Idol.

Smithson released an album for MCA Records called Ultimate High in 2001 as Carly Hennessy, before taking her husband's last name. The album failed to find an audience, selling only 378 copies despite MCA Records spending over $2 million on the production and promotion of the album. The album was released on November 13th, 2001. Its commercial failure was documented in an article in The Wall Street Journal. Despite low record sales, she later won a Meteor Award in 2003 for Best Irish Female Singer.

Carly was signed to MCA Records during the same time period that Randy Jackson (an American Idol judge) was the senior vice president of A&R at MCA Records. Carly was at MCA in 1999. Randy started at MCA in 1998 and was there for 4 years. Jackson was part of the team responsible for signing Smithson-Hennessy to MCA.

Some of Carly's music was written by Danielle Brisebois, who has also written for Clay Aiken and Kelly Clarkson. One of the songs by Brisebois – "Just Missed The Train", originally recorded by Norwegian artist Trine Rein – was featured on both Smithson's album and Clarkson's 2003 album Thankful.

Before season seven, she auditioned in Las Vegas during the show's fifth season; she made it to Hollywood but was disqualified because her visa had expired.

Amanda Overmyer

Amanda Overmyer (born October 26, 1984 in Mulberry, Indiana) is a singer and currently a top 12 contestant on American Idol 7. She is a health-care specialist dealing predominantly in respiratory issues and is earning a bachelor’s degree in business management. She was lead singer for the band Steeleto and the "American Idol" judges have often compared her sound to Janis Joplin. In her spare time, Overmyer loves riding her motorcycle.

Syesha Mercado

Syesha Mercado (born January 2, 1987) is a 21-year-old from Sarasota, Florida who auditioned in Miami. During Hollywood week, she became ill and almost completely lost her voice. In preparation for her final audition, she went on voice rest and wrote down everything she had to say on a pad of paper. Prior to American Idol, she appeared on The One: Making a Music Star, a short-lived program on ABC.[24] The show was cancelled after two weeks due to low ratings. She is the only female African-American this season to make it to the top 12.

Ramiele Malubay

Ramiele Malubay (born September 6, 1987 in Saudi Arabia) is a Filipino American entertainer and top-twelve finalist on the seventh season of American Idol.

Malubay spent most of her early years in the Philippines, but currently resides in Miramar, Florida. She started Polynesian Dancing when she was in the First Grade. However, she started singing when she was 12 years old. She successfully auditioned for American Idol in August, 2007 where she sang Aretha Franklin's "Natural Woman". Her music influences include Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Tamia and her favorite performer is Regine Velasquez.

David Hernandez

David Hernandez (born 1984, in Glendale, Arizona) singer and currently a finalist on the seventh season of American Idol. He began singing at age six.

Controversy came about in March 2008 when it was revealed that Hernandez once worked as a stripper at Dick's gay bar in Phoenix, AZ.