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American Idol season 1

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Template:Infobox reality music competition

The first season of American Idol premiered on June 11, 2002 (under the full title American Idol: The Search for a Superstar) and continued until September 4, 2002. It was won by Kelly Clarkson. This season was co-hosted by Ryan Seacrest and Brian Dunkleman, the latter of whom left the show after this season.

The winner, Kelly Clarkson, signed with RCA Records, the label in partnership with American Idol's 19 Management. Immediately post-finale, Clarkson released two singles, including the coronation song, "A Moment Like This". "A Moment Like This" went on to break a thirty-eight year old record held by The Beatles for a song's biggest leap to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It jumped up from number fifty-two to number one in just one week. She held that record for five years but she reclaimed that record back in 2009 with her hit single My Life Would Suck Without You when it jumped up from number ninety-seven to number one. Clarkson has enjoyed a successful recording career since winning, with multiple-platinum albums, a number of Top 10 hit singles and two Grammy Awards. Runner-up Justin Guarini also signed with RCA Records, eventually debuting an album in 2003 after the conclusion of season 2. RCA dropped him shortly after its debut. In addition to Clarkson and Guarini, also signed were Nikki McKibbin, Tamyra Gray, R. J. Helton, and Christina Christian.

The show inspired a 2003 musical film, From Justin to Kelly, featuring Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini.

Auditions

Auditions were held in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, and Seattle in the spring of 2002,and around 10,000 auditioned.

Episode Air Date Audition City Audition Venue Tickets to Hollywood
June 11, 2002 New York, New York Millennium Hotel 25
Los Angeles, California 31
Chicago, Illinois Congress Plaza Hotel 23
Dallas, Texas 11
Miami, Florida Fontainebleau Hilton Hotel 6
Atlanta, Georgia AmericasMart 15
Seattle, Washington Hyatt Regency Hotel 10
Total Tickets to Hollywood 121

One of more prominent auditioners was Tamika Bush who objected to the judges' critiques and their pronunciation of her name. She was later invited back to critique the contestants' semifinal performance. Kristin Holt who auditioned in Dallas was put through to the Hollywood rounds, but in her rush to embrace the judges, fell and slipped under the judges' table.

Kelly Clarkson was notable for being largely absent in audition episode, and she remains the only winner whose audition was not aired in the original audition episode. The other top 10 finalists in Season 1 whose audition were not shown were Nikki McKibbin and EJ Day.

Hollywood week

The Hollywood week rounds were held in Pasadena Civic Center where 121 contestants competed for a place in the finals. The contestants first emerged on stage in groups of 9 or 10 but performed solo unaccompanied, and those who did not impress the judges were cut after the group finished their individual performances. 65 were selected to proceed on to the next round. The singers were expected to learn their songs that night and perform the next day in groups of three. The girls and boys were separated and given crash course to learn their song, which was Dionne Warwick's I Say a Little Prayer for the girls and Jean DuShon's For Once in My Life for the boys. Many however frequently forgot the lyrics. Again those who failed to impress were cut immediately after their performance. 45 made it to the next round, and the 20 cut were given their last chance to voice their opinion to the judges before leaving.

In the final round, the remaining 45 were given new songs to learn and each performed solo and a cappella. 30 contestants would be chosen after this round. In this round Justin Guarini impressed the judges and his fellow contestants alike. The Top 15 were first announced, the judges then select 15 more out of the remaining 30. The 30 were split into two groups and the judges then go to each group to announce the chosen group.

Delano Cagnolatti was initially amongst those announced as the Top 30, but he was later disqualified for falsifying his age,[1] and became the first person to be disqualified on American Idol. He was replaced by EJay Day.

Semi-finals

The 30 contestants who reached this stage in this season were referred to in the show as the finalists.

Before their performance, the contestants took part in intensive music work shop where they were given vocal couching by Debra Byrd and advice by stylists. The contestants were held in the Red Room before they each emerged to perform solo with piano accompaniment. There was no studio audience at this stage and the performance was pre-taped. The results of the vote were announced the next day live.

Below are the three semi-final groups with contestants listed in their performance order. In each group, three people advanced to the next round, based on votes by the viewers.

Group 1

Order Contestant Song (original artist) Result
1 Tamyra Gray "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (Jennifer Holliday) Advanced
2 Jim Verraros "When I Fall in Love" (Doris Day) Advanced
3 Adriel Herrera "I'll Be" (Edwin McCain) Eliminated
4 Rodesia Eaves "Daydream Believer" (The Monkees) Eliminated
5 Natalie Burge "Crazy" (Patsy Cline) Eliminated
6 Brad Estrin "Just Once" (James Ingram) Eliminated
7 Ryan Starr "The Frim-Fram Sauce" (Nat King Cole) Advanced
8 Justinn Waddell "When a Man Loves a Woman" (Percy Sledge) Eliminated
9 Kelli Glover "I Will Always Love You" (Dolly Parton) Wild Card
10 Christopher Aaron "Still in Love" (Brian McKnight) Wild Card

Group 2

Order Contestant Song (original artist) Result
1 Alexis Lopez "I Will Survive" (Gloria Gaynor) Wild Card
2 Gil Sinuet "Ribbon in the Sky" (Stevie Wonder) Eliminated
3 Angela Peel "Run to You" (Whitney Houston) Wild Card
4 A.J. Gil "All or Nothing" (O-Town) Advanced
5 Tenia Taylor "Greatest Love of All" (George Benson) Eliminated
6 Alexandra Bachelier "Save the Best for Last" (Vanessa Williams) Eliminated
7 Jazmin Lowery "You Put a Move on My Heart" (Tamia) Eliminated
8 Jamar "Careless Whisper" (Wham!) Eliminated
9 Kelly Clarkson "Respect" (Otis Redding) Advanced
10 Justin Guarini "Ribbon in the Sky" (Stevie Wonder) Advanced

Group 3

Order Contestant Song (original artist) Result
1 R.J. Helton "I'll Be There" (The Jackson 5) Wild Card
2 Kristin Holt "Fallin'" (Alicia Keys) Eliminated
3 Mark Scott "My Girl" (The Temptations) Eliminated
4 Nikki McKibbin "Total Eclipse of the Heart" (Bonnie Tyler) Advanced
5 Christopher Badano "I Swear" (John Michael Montgomery) Eliminated
6 Melanie Sanders "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (Jennifer Holliday) Eliminated
7 EJay Day "I'll Be" (Edwin McCain) Advanced
8 Tanesha Ross "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" (Aretha Franklin) Eliminated
9 Khaleef Chiles "My Cherie Amour" (Stevie Wonder) Eliminated
10 Christina Christian "At Last" (Glenn Miller and his Orchestra) Advanced

Wild Card Round

Following those nine singers advancing, five of the remaining 21 semi-finalists were selected by the judges to compete in the Wild Card round. Following another performance by each Wild Card contender, the judges selected one contestant to advance to the final group of 10.

Order Contestant Song (original artist) Result
1 Kelli Glover "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" (Laura Branigan) Eliminated
2 Christopher Aaron "On Bended Knee" (Boyz II Men) Eliminated
3 Alexis Lopez "Saving All My Love for You" (Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr.) Eliminated
4 R.J. Helton "Lately" (Stevie Wonder) Advanced
5 Angela Peel "As We Lay" (Shirley Murdock) Eliminated

Top 10 Finalists

Back - EJay Day, A.J. Gil, RJ Helton
Middle - Tamyra Gray, Kelly Clarkson, Ryan Starr
Front - Justin Guarini, Nikki McKibbin, Christina Christian, Jim Verraros

Finals

The finals were broadcast live, in front of a live studio audience. The finals lasted for eight weeks, each finalist performed a song or songs selected from a weekly theme. During the first few weeks, contestants sang one song each. By the top four week, the contestants sang two songs each, and in the finale the two finalists performed three songs apiece.

The results of public vote were revealed in the night following the performance night in the results show. The three or two contestants in the later rounds who received the lowest number of votes were typically called the Bottom Three or Two. From the bottom three, one contestant was sent to safety so that two contestants remained and finally the contestant who received the lowest amount of votes was eliminated from the competition. A farewell video with montage of the eliminated contestant is shown.

This season largely set the pattern for later seasons, such as group performance by the contestants during the result shows, home town visits for the top 3, and performing the songs for the top 2 that would be released immediately after the finale. In this season, there are no guest mentor apart from the Burt Bacharach week where the composer helped the contestants prepare their songs.

The finale was between Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini, and Kelly Clarkson was declared the winner with 58% of the votes. A television special from Las Vegas starring the top thirty-two finalists aired after the show, a thirty date tour with the top ten followed, as did the box office bomb movie titled From Justin to Kelly.

Top 10 – Motown

Order Contestant Song (original artist) Result
1 Ryan Starr "If You Really Love Me" (Stevie Wonder) Safe
2 R.J. Helton "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" (The Four Tops) Safe
3 Nikki McKibbin "Ben" (Michael Jackson) Bottom Three
4 EJay Day "My Girl" (The Temptations) Eliminated
5 Tamyra Gray "Touch Me in the Morning" (Diana Ross) Safe
6 Justin Guarini "For Once in My Life" (Jean DuShon) Safe
7 Jim Verraros "Easy" (The Commodores) Eliminated
8 Kelly Clarkson "You're All I Need to Get By" (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell) Safe
9 A.J. Gil "My Cherie Amour" (Stevie Wonder) Safe
10 Christina Christian "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell) Safe

Top 8 – 1960s

Order Contestant Song (original artist) Result
1 R.J. Helton "Under the Boardwalk" (The Drifters) Safe
2 Tamyra Gray "A Fool in Love" (Ike & Tina Turner) Safe
3 A.J. Gil "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" (Marvin Gaye) Eliminated
4 Nikki McKibbin "Piece of My Heart" (Janis Joplin) Safe
5 Kelly Clarkson "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (Aretha Franklin) Safe
6 Christina Christian "When a Man Loves a Woman" (Percy Sledge) Bottom Three
7 Justin Guarini "Sunny" (Mieko Hirota) Safe
8 Ryan Starr "You Really Got Me" (The Kinks) Bottom Two
Result Show
Top 8 "California Dreamin'" (The Mamas & the Papas)

Top 7 – 1970s

Order Contestant Song (original artist) Result
1 Nikki McKibbin "Heartbreaker" (Pat Benatar) Bottom Three
2 Christina Christian "Ain't No Sunshine" (Bill Withers) Safe
3 Justin Guarini "Someday We'll All Be Free" (Donny Hathaway) Bottom Two
4 Kelly Clarkson "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" (Ben E. King) Safe
5 R.J. Helton "Superstition" (Stevie Wonder) Safe
6 Tamyra Gray "If I Were Your Woman" (Gladys Knight & the Pips) Safe
7 Ryan Starr "Last Dance" (Donna Summer) Eliminated
Result Show
Top 7 "Joy to the World" (Three Dog Night)

Top 6 – Big Band

Order Contestant Song (original artist) Result
1 Tamyra Gray "Minnie the Moocher" (Cab Calloway) Safe
2 Justin Guarini "Route 66" (Nat King Cole) Safe
3 Nikki McKibbin "Hard-Hearted Hannah" (Dolly Kay) Bottom Three
4 Christina Christian "The Glory of Love" (Benny Goodman And His Orchestra) Eliminated
5 R.J. Helton "I Won't Dance" (Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers) Bottom Two
6 Kelly Clarkson "Stuff Like That There" (Betty Hutton) Safe
Result Show
Top 6 "Bandstand Boogie" (Barry Manilow)

Mentor - Burt Bacharach

Order Contestant Song (original artist) Result
1 Kelly Clarkson "Walk On By" (Dionne Warwick) Safe
2 R.J. Helton "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" (Christopher Cross) Eliminated
3 Tamyra Gray "A House is Not a Home" (Dionne Warwick) Safe
4 Justin Guarini "The Look of Love" (Dusty Springfield) Safe
5 Nikki McKibbin "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" (Lou Johnson) Bottom Two
Result Show
Top 5 Burt Bacharach Medley

Top 4 – 1980/1990s

Each contestant sang two songs.

Order Contestant Song (original artist) Result
1 Tamyra Gray "New Attitude" (Patti LaBelle) Eliminated
2 Nikki McKibbin "Mary Jane" (Alanis Morissette) Safe
3 Kelly Clarkson "It's Raining Men" (The Weather Girls) Safe
4 Justin Guarini "Get Here" (Brenda Russell) Safe
5 Tamyra Gray "Feel the Fire" (Stephanie Mills) Eliminated
6 Nikki McKibbin "I'm the Only One" (Melissa Etheridge) Safe
7 Kelly Clarkson "I Surrender" (Celine Dion) Safe
8 Justin Guarini "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" (Michael Jackson) Safe
Result Show
Top 4 Paula Abdul medley

Top 3 – Contestant's choice & Judges' choice

Each contestant sang two songs.

Order Contestant Song (original artist) Result
1 Nikki McKibbin "Edge of Seventeen" (Stevie Nicks) Eliminated
2 Justin Guarini "Let's Stay Together" (Al Green) Safe
3 Kelly Clarkson "Without You" (Badfinger) Safe
4 Nikki McKibbin "Black Velvet" (Alannah Myles) Eliminated
5 Justin Guarini "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (Elton John) Safe
6 Kelly Clarkson "Think Twice" (Celine Dion) Safe
Result Show
Top 3 Love Will Keep Us Together (Neil Sedaka)
Nikki McKibbin Black Velvet (Alannah Myles) Eliminated
Justin Guarini Let's Stay Together (Al Green) Safe
Kelly Clarkson Without You (Harry Nilsson) Safe

Top 2 – Finale

Each contestant sang three songs.

Order Contestant Song (original artist) Result
1 Justin Guarini "Before Your Love" (Kelly Clarkson) Runner-Up
2 Kelly Clarkson "A Moment Like This" (Kelly Clarkson) Winner
3 Justin Guarini "Get Here" (Brenda Russell) Runner-Up
4 Kelly Clarkson "Respect" (Otis Redding) Winner
5 Justin Guarini "A Moment Like This" (Kelly Clarkson) Runner-Up
6 Kelly Clarkson "Before Your Love" (Kelly Clarkson) Winner

Elimination chart

Legend
Did Not Perform Top 30 Wild Card Top 10
Stage: Semi-Finals WC Finals
Week: 6/12 6/19 6/26 7/3 7/17 7/24 7/31 8/7 8/14 8/21 8/28 9/4
Place Contestant Result
1 Kelly Clarkson 2nd Winner
2 Justin Guarini 1st Btm 2 Runner-Up
3 Nikki McKibbin 2nd Btm 3 Btm 3 Btm 3 Btm 2 Btm 2 Elim
4 Tamyra Gray 1st Elim
5 RJ Helton Elim Adv Btm 2 Elim
6 Christina Christian 1st Btm 3 Elim
7 Ryan Starr 2nd Btm 2 Elim
8 A.J. Gil 3rd Elim
9-10 Jim Verraros 3rd Elim
EJay Day 3rd
Wild
Card
Chris Aaron Elim Elim
Kelli Glover
Alexis Lopez Elim
Angela J. Peel
Semi-
Final
3
Christopher Badano Elim
Khaleef Chiles
Kristin Holt
Melanie Sanders
Mark Scott
Tanesha Ross
Semi-
Final
2
Alexandra Bachelier Elim
Jamar
Jazmin Lowery
Gil Sinuet
Tenia Taylor
Semi-
Final
1
Natalie Burge Elim
Rodesia Eaves
Brad Estrin
Adriel Herrera
Justinn Waddell

American Idol Rewind

Re-edited episodes of American Idol season 1 are now being shown in syndication as American Idol Rewind. The new episodes feature commentary from some of the first season's top 30, including runner-ups Justin Guarini, Jim Verraros, Christina Christian, Nikki McKibbin, Angela Peel, and Kelli Glover. Rewind also showcases footage that was not seen in the initial run of season 1, including Kelly Clarkson's full audition.[2]

Releases

Major releases

Minor or independent releases

(This list does not include pre-Idol releases)

  • Unsaid and Understood (Jim Verraros - album, 2003)
  • Real Life (RJ Helton - album, 2004)
  • "Even If" (RJ Helton - single, 2004)
  • "My Devotion" (RJ Helton - single, 2004)
  • "My Religion" (Ryan Starr - single, 2004)
  • Human Again (Adriel Herrera - album)
  • Rollercoaster (Jim Verraros - album, 2005)
  • Stranger Things Have Happened (Justin Guarini - album, 2005)
  • "To Be with You" (Nikki McKibbin - single, 2006)
  • "The Lie" (Nikki McKibbin - single, 2006)
  • Voyces United for UNHCR (Brad Estrin - album, 2006)
  • "You Make it Better" (Jim Verraros - single, 2007)
  • Unleashed (Nikki McKibbin - album, 2007)
  • "Revolve" (Justin Guarini - EP, 2008)
  • "Here to There" (Nikki McKibbin - single, 2008)
  • "Electric Love" (Jim Verraros - single, 2009)
  • "Touch (Dont U Want 2?) (Jim Verraros - single, 2009)
  • "Do Not Disturb" (Jim Verraros - single, 2009)
  • "Inconsolable" (Nikki McKibbin - single, 2009)

Source: Idolsmusic.com

References