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.