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Kris Allen

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Kris Allen

Kristopher Neil Allen (born June 21, 1985), known as Kris Allen, is an American singer, guitarist, pianist, and violist from Conway, Arkansas, who is a finalist on the eighth season of the reality television series American Idol.

Personal life

Allen taught himself how to play the guitar at thirteen and is also proficient with the piano, the viola, and the ukulele.[1] In 2007, he self-produced an album entitled, Brand New Shoes with college friends and bandmates Michael Holmes (drums) and Chase Erwin (bass).[2]

Allen is a devout evangelical Christian and is a worship leader at New Life Church in Arkansas at both the Conway and Greater Little Rock campuses, and on campus at University of Central Arkansas, with Chi Alpha Campus Ministries. As a worship leader, he was able to travel on mission trips around the world, including Burma, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Spain, and Thailand. On September 26, 2008, he married his high school sweetheart, Katy O'Connell.

Unlike fellow evangelical Idol contestant, Danny Gokey, Allen has not mentioned his faith on the show.

American Idol

Allen auditioned for the eighth season of American Idol in Louisville, Kentucky.[3] He performed "I Want You Back" by The Jackson 5 during Hollywood week as part of a group called White Chocolate, along with fellow finalist and semi-finals roommate Matt Giraud. At the Idol Mansion, Allen and Adam Lambert are now roommates.[4] According to the Us Weekly article about the Top 13, Allen stated, in regards to Lambert being a good fit, "We're both neat."[5]

Allen was voted into the finals along with fellow Group 2 performers Lambert and Allison Iraheta on Thursday, February 26, 2009. He has received many compliments throughout the competition for his artistic reinterpretations, and has played both his guitar and keyboard during various performances. Randy Jackson has compared him to Jason Mraz[6]. His performance of "To Make You Feel My Love" as part of the Top 11 earned praise from the judges, with Simon Cowell commenting "I am genuinely beginning to think you have a shot of doing well in this competition."[7] On the Top 9 show, he performed his own arrangement of "Ain't No Sunshine" on a keyboard, with a few musicians on stage, which earned praise from the judges. Cowell lauded it his "best performance so far."[8] On the first Top 7 night, he chose to sing the Oscar-winning song from the indie film Once. While Jackson described it as "pitchy from note one", Kara DioGuardi declared it “one of your best moments ever.”[9] Due to time constraints, Paula Abdul and Cowell did not comment. But on the following night's results show, Cowell stated "Kris, you were brilliant." On the second Top 7 show, Allen brought back the guitar for the fourth time and performed an original, acoustic version of "She Works Hard for the Money", complete with bongo drums and the band on stage. This earned immense praise from all four judges, with Abdul remarking “There aren’t many men who are willing to shop in the women’s department. You shopped and found a perfect fit.”[10]

Season 7 American Idol winner David Cook stated that Allen and Lambert are his favorites of Season 8.[11] Country music singer and actress Reba McEntire has echoed the same opinions, also adding Iraheta to her list of favorites.[12]

Allen, Lambert, and Danny Gokey are currently the only remaining final contestants not to have been in the Bottom 3.

Performances/Results

Week # Theme Song choice Original artist Order # Result
Audition N/A "A Song for You" Leon Russell N/A Advanced
Hollywood First Solo [not aired] - N/A Advanced
Hollywood Group Performance "I Want You Back" The Jackson 5 N/A Advanced
Hollywood Second Solo "Everything" Michael Bublé N/A Advanced
Top 36/Semi-Final 2 Billboard Hot 100 Hits to Date "Man in the Mirror" Michael Jackson 6 Advanced
Top 13 Michael Jackson "Remember the Time" Michael Jackson 6 Safe
Top 11 Grand Ole Opry "To Make You Feel My Love" Garth Brooks 3 Safe
Top 10 Motown "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" Marvin Gaye 2 Safe
Top 9 Top Downloads "Ain't No Sunshine" Bill Withers 9 Safe
Top 8 Year They Were Born "All She Wants to Do Is Dance" Don Henley 2 Safe
Top 7 Songs from the Cinema "Falling Slowly" - Once Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova 6 Safe
Top 71 Disco "She Works Hard for the Money" Donna Summer 2 Safe
Top 5 Rat Pack Standards TBA
TBA 		TBA
TBA 		TBA
TBA 		TBA


  • Template:Fnb Due to the judges using their one save to save Matt Giraud, the Top 7 remained intact for another week.

References

  1. ^ "Top 13 - Secret Talents". Retrieved 2009-03-13.
  2. ^ http://www.musicistheheartofoursoul.com/2009/03/kris-allen-brand-new-shoes-ep.html
  3. ^ "Top 13 Contestants - Season 8 - American Idol". Retrieved 2009-03-08.
  4. ^ "Allen discusses roomie Lambert, bidets, and his wife in his Top 9 Video Confessional". Retrieved 2009-04-03.
  5. ^ "Idols move into the Idol Mansion". Retrieved 2009-03-30.
  6. ^ "Kris Allen - Season 8 Contestants". Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  7. ^ "MJs - Top 11 Performances Recap & Review". Retrieved 2009-03-17.
  8. ^ "MJs - Top 9 Performances Recap & Review". Retrieved 2009-03-31.
  9. ^ "MJs - Top 7 Performances Recap & Review". Retrieved 2009-04-14.
  10. ^ "MJs - Top 7 Performances Recap & Review". Retrieved 2009-04-21.
  11. ^ "Adam Lambert, Kris Allen are David Cook's "American Idol" faves". Retrieved 2009-04-14.
  12. ^ "Reba McEntire favors Kris Allen and Adam Lambert for American Idol". Retrieved 2009-04-22.

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