Phillip Phillips

In spite battling a chronic disease and undergoing multiple surgeries while he competed, Phillip Phillips proved that staying true to his own aesthetic paid off, all of which helped him take the title of season 11's "American Idol" (Fox, 2002-16). He was born on Sept. 20, 1990 in Leesburg, GA and grew up in nearby Sasser, where he attended Lee County High School. Prior to competing on "Idol," Phillips majored in Industrial Systems Technology at Albany Technical College and worked at his family's pawnshop. Armed with his guitar, he auditioned in Savannah, GA for "American Idol," where he sang Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" (1972) and Michael Jackson's smash hit "Thriller" (1984). His performances helped him advance to the semi-finals round held in Hollywood, where he attempted to impress judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler several times before he earned a spot as one of the competition's Top 13 finalists.

All season long, Phillips won voters over with his singer-songwriter style and his knack for tailoring songs to his own aesthetic. Yet, while he dazzled on stage, Phillips struggled with chronic kidney problems, and he had to undergo eight separate surgeries to remove the kidney stones that had built up in his system. Week after week, he battled formidable competitors, including R&B powerhouse Jessica Sanchez and soul singer Joshua Ledet, and consistently delivered heartfelt renditions of songs from different genres, including "You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin'" (1964) by The Righteous Brothers, Maroon 5's "This Love" (2002), or Bob Seger's 1978 hit "We've Got Tonight." While he was criticized for not possessing the best vocals in the competition, Phillips eventually edged out all his competition and took home the title of "American Idol." After being declared the winner, the normally composed Phillips was overcome with emotion as he sang "Home" (2012), the show's "coronation song" and Phillips' debut single.

By Candy Cuenco