Katharine McPhee

Katharine Hope McPhee (born March 25, 1984 in Sherman Oaks, California) is an American singer and musical theatre actress, who is a finalist in the fifth season of American Idol. McPhee has been singing since the age of two. Her mother, Peisha McPhee, a vocal coach and accomplished cabaret singer, recognized a talent for music in her daughter and started training her. Her father, Daniel McPhee, is a producer who has worked on numerous television series and other projects. Katharine graduated from Notre Dame High School in 2002. She then attended the Boston Conservatory of Music. In Los Angeles, she performed in a musical theatre production of Annie Get Your Gun. McPhee has a sister, named Adrianna and lists Whitney Houston and Brian McKnight as her favorite artists. During her initial audition for American Idol in San Francisco, she sang "God Bless the Child". Judge Randy Jackson said she was the best voice he had yet heard that season, judge Paula Abdul praised her looks, and judge Simon Cowell said she was amazing and "current". However, McPhee's mother had gone with Katharine to the audition, and Cowell made a comment about the possibility that the elder McPhee was a stage mother. While the producers of American Idol make McPhee seem to be open to constructive criticism, former fellow contestants maintain the opposite is true. One contestant stated: "Katherine is not so humble, she's overzealous, she's bossy, she's a bitch, and they totally portray her as being the sweet girl." Several of the contestants also said that Katherine McPhee forgot the words to her songs for two days during Hollywood Week and was put through by the judges regardless. In the final cut-down show for the Top 24, she was the first to be put through and, in excitement, kissed all three judges on the lips. She began crying both when she passed her initial audition and when she made it into the Top 24. In the first round of the semi-finals, she sang Barbra Streisand's "Since I Fell for You", again earning high praises as Cowell said that out of the four "very, very good vocalists" of the night, she was the best. During the week leading to the third round of the semi-finals, where Katharine sang Aretha Franklin's "Think", she was rumored to be quitting due to pregnancy. However, during the performance show on March 7, 2006, she denied this accusation, later attributing it to a poor choice of clothing. Host Ryan Seacrest, with tongue-in-cheek, asked about her and fellow idol contestant Kevin Covais. On the March 29, 2006 results show, causing much surprise, Katharine was in the bottom three with Ace Young and Lisa Tucker. She ended up in the bottom two with Lisa, but was not eliminated.



Performances:



Semi-finals:

February 21, 2006 - "Since I Fell for You", original artist Lenny Welch

Judge Simon Cowell said that she was the best singer of the night.

February 28, 2006 - "All in Love Is Fair", Stevie Wonder

The judges stated that they thought this performance fell victim to poor song choice, but Paula thought that she was "still a star."

March 7, 2006 - "Think", Aretha Franklin

The judges stated that they loved this performance because she "had fun with it".



Finals:

March 14, 2006 - "Until You Come Back to Me", Stevie Wonder

The judges stated that they loved this performance. Randy Jackson said that the Katharine he "met during the auditions" was back. Simon compared her gaining of momentum to Kelly Clarkson in the show's first season.

March 21, 2006 - "Come Rain, Come Shine", Ella Fitzgerald

Once again the judges were very impressed. Randy Jackson noted that it wasn't her best vocal performance, but it was still great. Paula agreed wholeheartedly. Simon noted that it was the performance that made her a star.

March 28, 2006 - "The Voice Within", Christina Aguilera (Bottom 3)

Randy thought she should have changed the performance up to make it her own. Paula said she wouldn't change a thing. Simon said it was the best that night so far, and almost as good as Christina. During the results show, however, Katharine was shockingly placed in the bottom two, and Simon stated that upon viewing the playback, she wasn't nearly as good as he thought.

April 4, 2006 - "Bringing Out Elvis," written by Louise Hoffsten and Leif Larrson, from Faith Hill's 1999 album, "Breathe."

The theme for the night was country. Katharine was the eighth of nine performers that night. Randy said: "Kind of bluesy country, yeah? I like it. You sang it very nice, very nice. Good job, dawg, good job." Paula said: "That is your style; that's your niche. You look sexy, hot. You're cool." Simon, looking a bit bewildered, said: "I don't know what to say anymore; I really don't. That song was just so peculiar." At this point Katharine spoke up and said: "Simon, you just don't like country music. It's okay. You can say it," with which Simon agreed, saying: "You're right, I don't, I don't. I hate it."