After four weeks of open audition broadcasts and four more episodes that gave viewers a look at the competition's Hollywood Round, American Idol has finally formally announced its Top 24 ninth-season semifinalists.
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The additional semifinalists are Crystal Bowersox, Lacey Brown, Michelle Delamor, Andrew Garcia, Tyler Grady, Alex Lambert, Siobhan Magnus, Paige Miles, Joe Munoz, John Park, Ashley Rodriguez, Lilly Scott, Jermaine Sellers, Katie Stevens, Timothy "Tim" Urban, Haeley Vaughn and Janell Wheeler.
They join Didi Benami, Lee Dewyze, Katelyn Epperly, Todrick Hall, Casey James, Aaron Kelly, and Michael Lynche -- who had already been revealed during American Idol's Tuesday night broadcast.
Urban was not shown on stage with American Idol host Ryan Seacrest and the rest of the semifinalists at the end of Wednesday night's broadcast but was introduced when they were individually announced while dancing moments later.
Urban is replacing Chris Golightly, who was shown on-stage with rest of the semifinalists but was disqualified after American Idol determined he was ineligible to continue in the competition.
With the selection broadcasts now over, American Idol's semifinals performance shows will now begin the three-week process in which home viewers will determine the identities of the season's Top 12 finalists.
American Idol's ninth-season semifinals will begin on Tuesday, February 23 when the Top 12 female semifinalists perform live for the first time. The Top 12 male semifinalists will follow on Wednesday night, with home viewers casting their votes immediately after each broadcast.
Two male and two female semifinalists will then be eliminated on American Idol's first live ninth-season results show on Thursday, February 25 at 8PM ET/PT.
The following two weeks will continue the same thrice-weekly format and end with a live results show broadcast on Thursday, March 11 that will reveal American Idol's Top 12 ninth-season finalists. Once the finals begin, American Idol's performance shows will air Tuesdays and the results shows will air on Wednesdays.
American Idol's 12 female ninth-season semifinalists -- and their Fox-released biographical information -- are:
Didi Benami, a 23-year-old from Knoxville, TN who currently resides in Los Angeles, CA
Benami's mother inspired her passion for music by singing to her when she was a little girl. She is currently pursuing a career in music in Los Angeles while learning to play the guitar and writing songs.
Crystal Bowersox, a 24-year-old from Elliston, OH who currently resides in Toledo, OH
Bowersox grew up on a farm in Northwest Ohio and has been playing music since she was 10 years old. She enjoys playing the piano and harmonica and spending time with her son.
Lacey Brown, a 24-year-old from Amarillo, TX
Brown began singing when she was 12 years old at churches and holiday parties. Before auditioning for Idol, she was teaching classes at her parents' church in Amarillo, TX.
Michelle Delamor, a 22-year-old from Miami, FL
Delamor was born in Miami, FL, and began singing at age 5 in church. Prior to her Idol experience, Delamor was working in retail and conducting a children's choir.
Katelyn Epperly, a 19-year-old from West Des Moines, IA
Epperly was born in Iowa City, IA, and has been singing since she was 2 years old. She is a sophomore at Millikin University in Decatur, IL, and enjoys playing the piano.
Siobhan Magnus, a 20-year-old from Cape Cod, MA who currently resides in Marstons Mills, MA
Magnus currently lives in Marston Mills, MA, and graduated from Barnstable High School in 2008. She has been singing since age 9, and counts glassblowing as one of her hobbies.
Paige Miles, a 24-year-old from Naples, FL who currently resides in Houston, TX
Miles lives in the Houston, TX, area and started singing in church when she was 5 years old. During high school, she was a competitive cheerleader and an after-school tutor.
Ashley Rodriguez, a 22-year-old from Chelsea, MA
Rodriguez has been singing since she was 5 years old. She recently graduated from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she majored in music business.
Lilly Scott, a 20-year-old Littleton, CO who currently resides in Denver, CO
Scott was born in Houston, TX, and grew up in Littleton, CO. Prior to auditioning for Idol, she was playing music locally and was the lead singer of a band called Varlet.
Katie Stevens, a 17-year-old from Middlebury, CT
Stevens was born in Waterbury, CT, and has been singing since she was 3 years old. She enjoys playing the guitar, piano, flute and cello, and is a senior at Pomperaug High School.
Haeley Vaughn, a 16-year-old from Fort Collins, CO
Vaughn currently lives in Fort Collins, CO, and is a junior at Poudre High School. In addition to playing the guitar, she is a member of the cheerleading squad.
Janell Wheeler, a 24-year-old from Tampa, FL
Wheeler began singing and songwriting in second grade. She graduated from the University of Florida at Gainesville in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in theatre. She also enjoys playing the guitar and writing music.
American Idol's 12 male ninth-season semifinalists -- and their Fox-released biographical information -- are:
Lee Dewyze, a 23-year-old from Mount Prospect, IL
Dewyze has been performing music since age 16. He graduated from Mount Prospect High School and enjoys playing the guitar and scuba diving.
Andrew Garcia, a 23-year-old from Moreno Valley, CA
Garcia was born in Compton, CA, and has been singing since he was 18 years old. He also enjoys playing the guitar and spending time with his son.
Tyler Grady, a 20-year-old from Nazareth, PA
Grady is currently a sophomore at Temple University in Philadelphia. He plays the drums and is the lead singer of a band.
Todrick Hall, a 24-year-old from Arlington, TX
Hall grew up in Plainview, TX, and has been singing since age 10. After graduating from Bowie High School in 2003, he went on to perform on cruise ships and in theme parks.
Casey James, a 27-year-old from Fort Worth, TX
James has been singing since before he could speak. He enjoys playing the guitar and mandolin, and has been a full-time musician for the past 10 years.
Aaron Kelly, a 16-year-old from Sonestown, PA
Kelly lives in Sonestown, PA, and is currently a senior at the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School. He also enjoys songwriting and photography.
Alex Lambert, a 19-year-old from Fort Worth, TX who currently resides in North Richland Hills, TX
Lambert was born in Fort Worth, TX, and has been singing since he was 9 years old. He is currently a senior at Richland High School.
Michael Lynche, a 26-year-old from Astoria, NY
Lynche grew up in St. Petersburg, FL, and has been singing since he was in junior high. He played football for the University of Central Florida, and currently works as a personal trainer.
Joe Munoz, a 20-year-old from Huntington Park, CA
Munoz has been singing since age 12. In addition to playing the guitar, he is fluent in both Spanish and English.
John Park, a 21-year-old from Northbrook, IL who currently resides in Evanston, IL
Park began singing in the seventh grade. He is fluent in Korean, and is currently an undergraduate at Northwestern University. He also plays the piano, guitar and drums.
Jermaine Sellers, a 27-year-old from Joliet, IL
Sellers lives in his hometown of Joliet, IL, and began singing at age 7. Before auditioning for Idol, he was singing in his local church and helping take care of his mother.
Timothy "Tim" Urban, a 20-year-old from Duncanville, TX
Urban was born and raised in Duncanville, TX, and has been singing and playing the guitar since he was 13 years old. He and his nine siblings were homeschooled by his mother.
(Photo credit Patrick Ecclestein / FOX) About The Author: Steven Rogers
