The third season of ''
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...
'' premiered on Monday, January 19, 2004, and continued until May 26, 2004. The third season was won by
Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Monique Barrino-Taylor (born June 30, 1984), known professionally by her mononym Fantasia, is an American singer and actress. She rose to prominence in 2004 for her performance of the ''Porgy and Bess'' standard " Summertime" during th ...
, who defeated
Diana DeGarmo
Diana Nicole DeGarmo (born June 16, 1987) is an American singer. She rose to fame in 2004 as the runner-up of the third season of ''American Idol'', releasing her debut studio album, '' Blue Skies'', later that year. The following year, DeGarmo ...
by an approximate margin of 2% (1.3 million votes); the vote total (65 million votes) was then the highest recorded vote total in the show's history. This season also featured future
EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981), also known by her nickname J.Hud, is an American singer, actress, producer, and talk show host. Having received List of awards and nominations received by Jennifer Hudson, numerous accolades for ...
, who finished seventh in the competition.
Both Fantasia and Diana DeGarmo released a single after the finale. Fantasia's first single, released in June 2004 on the RCA record label, entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number one, making Fantasia the first artist in the history of ''Billboard'' to debut at number one with their first single. In addition to Fantasia and Diana DeGarmo,
Jasmine Trias
Jasmine Trias (; born November 3, 1986) is an American singer-entertainer who was the third place finalist on the third season of ''American Idol''. She has released one album to date, '' Jasmine Trias''.
Biography
Trias was born in Honolulu, ...
,
LaToya London
LaToya Renee London (born December 29, 1978) is an American R&B and soul singer and stage actress who was fourth-place finalist on the third season of ''American Idol.'' Her debut album, '' Love & Life'', was released in September 2005 and spa ...
,
George Huff,
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981), also known by her nickname J.Hud, is an American singer, actress, producer, and talk show host. Having received List of awards and nominations received by Jennifer Hudson, numerous accolades for ...
, and
Camile Velasco
Ciara-Camile "Camile" Roque Velasco (born September 1, 1985), known by her stage name Eli-Mac, is a Philippines, Filipino American singer and came in ninth place on the American Idol (season 3), third season of the reality/talent-search televis ...
all released albums since the season ended. The season is also, to date, the only season in the show's history to produce multiple
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
winners, courtesy of Fantasia (in
2011
The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
) and Hudson (in
2009
2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
and
2017
2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly.
Events January
* January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...
), as well as produce an
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
and
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
winner, courtesy of Hudson (in
2007
2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year.
Events
January
* January 1
**Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...
and
2022
The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
, respectively).
Changes from previous seasons
Unlike previous seasons, the semifinalists for this season performed in front of a small studio audience with orchestral accompaniment on a backing tape. This was also the first season to feature two guest judges in one week: the duo
Ashford & Simpson
Ashford & Simpson were an American husband-and-wife songwriting, production and recording duo composed of Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946).
Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carol ...
appeared during the top 10 week.
Regional auditions
Auditions were held in the summer of 2003 in the following cities:
In this season, over 80,000 attended the auditions in 6 cities. A prominent audition was
William Hung, a
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...
student, who became a surprise cult figure following his tuneless rendition of
Ricky Martin
Enrique Martin Morales (born December 24, 1971), known professionally as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, with his Ricky Martin albums discography, discography incorporati ...
's "
She Bangs
"She Bangs" is a song recorded by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin for his sixth studio album, '' Sound Loaded'' (2000). The song was written by Desmond Child, Walter Afanasieff, and Draco Rosa, while the production was handled by Afanasief ...
" at the San Francisco audition. He was later invited back to perform on a special edition "Uncut, Uncensored and Untalented." His appearance on the show landed him a record deal with
Koch Records
MNRK Music Group (pronounced "monarch"), formerly known as Koch Records and Entertainment One (eOne) Music/Records, is an American independent record label and music management company based in New York City. It was formed in 1987 as a music div ...
and he released an album soon afterwards.
Hollywood week
There were 117 contestants in the first Hollywood round which was held at the
Pasadena Civic Center in
Pasadena, California
Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...
. The contestants first came onto the stage in groups, but each performed solo. They were also asked to write original lyrics and melody for one of ten song titles given and perform their song the next day. After their performances, they were divided into four groups and one group was eliminated.
In the next round, the remaining 87 contestants performed in groups in three. The men and the ladies were separate and they were each given three different songs to choose: the ladies had
The Supremes
The Supremes were an American girl group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959 as the Primettes. A premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful Amer ...
' "
You Can't Hurry Love
"You Can't Hurry Love" is a song originally recorded by the Supremes on the Motown label. It was released on July 25, 1966 as the second single (music), single from their studio album ''The Supremes A' Go-Go''.
Written and produced by Motown p ...
,"
Vonda Shepard
Vonda Shepard (born July 7, 1963) is an American singer, songwriter, music director, and actress. She is perhaps best known for her starring role as a fictionalized version of herself on the television series '' Ally McBeal'' (1997–2002), for w ...
's "
Tell Him," or
Candi Staton
Canzetta Maria "Candi" Staton (, ) (born March 13, 1940) is an American singer–songwriter, best known in the United States for her 1970 cover of Tammy Wynette's " Stand by Your Man" and her 1976 disco chart-topper " Young Hearts Run Free". In E ...
's "
Young Hearts Run Free
"Young Hearts Run Free" is a disco song written by David Crawford and originally recorded by American soul singer Candi Staton in 1976. In 1996, it was covered by American house music singer Kym Mazelle for the triple-platinum selling soundtrack ...
"; the men had
Billy Joel
William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Piano Man" after his Signature song, signature 1973 song Piano Man (song), of the same name, Joel has ha ...
's "
Tell Her About It
"Tell Her About It" is a song written and performed by Billy Joel from his album '' An Innocent Man'' (1983), released as the album's first single in July 1983. In the song, the singer exhorts a young man to tell the woman he loves how he feels ab ...
,"
Rick Astley
Richard Paul Astley (born 6 February 1966) is an English singer, radio DJ and podcaster. He gained fame through his association with the production trio Stock Aitken Waterman, releasing the 1987 album ''Whenever You Need Somebody'', which sol ...
's "
Never Gonna Give You Up
"Never Gonna Give You Up" is a pop song by English singer Rick Astley, released on 27 July 1987. The song is widely regarded as Astley's most popular, as well as his List of signature songs, signature song, and it is often played at the end o ...
," or
The Drifters
The Drifters are an American pop and R&B/soul vocal group. They were originally formed as a backing group for Clyde McPhatter, formerly the lead tenor of Billy Ward and his Dominoes in 1953. The second group of Drifters, formed in 1959 and ...
's "
Up on the Roof." 30 contestants were cut and 57 then advanced to the next stage where they performed solo. The contestants were then divided into three groups and placed in separate rooms, with one group sent home. 32 contestants remained for the semifinals.
Semifinals
George Huff replaced
Donnie Williams
Donnie Williams (born July 26, 1983) is an American soul, gospel and jazz singer-songwriter who in 2004 became a Top 32 Finalist in Season 3 of ''American Idol''. He currently resides in the Bay Area, California.
Early life
He comes from a f ...
after the latter was disqualified, following a DUI arrest.
Unlike previous seasons, the contestants this season performed in front of a small studio audience with orchestral accompaniment on a backing tape. As with the second season, two performers from each group were selected by public vote to proceed on to the top 12, and those who failed at any of the previous stages were given a second chance in the Wild Card round. During the Wild Card round, twelve contestants were invited back to participate. However, after being evaluated during the week in rehearsals, only eight were chosen by the judges to perform that night. One performer was chosen by public vote, and one performer was chosen by each of the three judges.
Four contestants in the wildcard round were eliminated by the judges before they had the chance to sing: Lisa Leuschner, Eric Yoder, Tiara Purifoy, and Marque Lynche were those contestants.
Color key:
Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
Group 1 (February 11)
Group 2 (February 18)
Group 3 (February 25)
Group 4 (March 3)
Wild Card round (March 10)
Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
Top 12 finalists
*Fantasia Barrino (born June 30, 1984, in
High Point, North Carolina
High Point is a city in the Piedmont Triad region of the United States, U.S. state of North Carolina. Most of the city is in Guilford County, North Carolina, Guilford County, with parts extending into Randolph County, North Carolina, Randolph, ...
; 19 years old at the time of the show) auditioned in Atlanta with
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American musician. She is celebrated as one of the most influential musical artists of her generation. Hill is credited with breaking barriers for female rappers, contributing to the popular music, m ...
's "
Killing Me Softly with His Song
"Killing Me Softly with His Song" is a song composed by Charles Fox with lyrics by Norman Gimbel. The lyrics were written in collaboration with Lori Lieberman after she was inspired by a Don McLean performance in late 1971. Denied writing cre ...
" and
Tina Turner
Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...
's "
Proud Mary
"Proud Mary" is a song by American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, written by vocalist and lead guitarist John Fogerty. It was released as a single in January1969 by Fantasy Records and on the band's second studio album, '' Bayou Coun ...
." She performed
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Honored as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Soul", she was twice named by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine as the Roll ...
's "
Think
In their most common sense, the terms thought and thinking refer to cognitive processes that can happen independently of sensory stimulation. Their most paradigmatic forms are judging, reasoning, concept formation, problem solving, and delibe ...
" in Hollywood.
*Diana DeGarmo (born June 16, 1987, in
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Jefferson County, Alabama, Jefferson County. The population was 200,733 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List ...
; 16 years old at the time of the show) was from
Snellville, Georgia
Snellville is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia, Gwinnett County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States, east of Atlanta. Its population was 20,573 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is a developed suburb of Atlanta and ...
, and auditioned in Honolulu with
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Honored as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Soul", she was twice named by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine as the Roll ...
's "
Chain of Fools
A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. ...
." She performed
Ike & Tina Turner
Ike & Tina Turner was an American musical duo consisting of husband-and-wife Ike Turner and Tina Turner. From 1960 to 1976, they performed live as the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, supported by the Kings of Rhythm and backing vocalists, the Ikettes. ...
's "
A Fool in Love
"A Fool in Love" is the debut single by Ike & Tina Turner. It was released on Sue Records in 1960. The song is Tina Turner's first release with the stage name "Tina Turner" although she had been singing with Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm since ...
" in Hollywood.
*Jasmine Trias (born November 3, 1986, in
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
; 17 years old at the time of the show) was from
Mililani, Hawaii
Mililani () is a city located near the center of the island of Oahu in Honolulu County, Hawaiʻi, United States. It consists of two census-designated places, Mililani Town, with a population of 28,121 at the 2020 census, and Mililani Mauka, wi ...
, and auditioned in Honolulu.
*LaToya London (born December 29, 1978, in
San Francisco
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
; 25 years old at the time of the show) was from
Oakland, California
Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, California, Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major We ...
, and auditioned in San Francisco with Aretha Franklin's "Chain of Fools."
*George Huff (born November 4, 1980, in
New Orleans
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
; 23 years old at the time of the show) auditioned in Houston with
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances featuring expressive body movements. Most of his best-known singles, such as
"Feelin' Alright ...
's "
You Are So Beautiful
"You Are So Beautiful" is a song credited to Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher that was first released in 1974 on Preston's ninth studio album, '' The Kids & Me''. It was also the B-side of his single "Struttin'". Later that same year, English singe ...
." He performed
Luther Vandross
Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American Soul music, soul and Contemporary R&B, R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer. Over his career, he achieved eleven consecutive RIAA certification, RIAA-certified ...
' "Here and Now" in Hollywood.
*
John Stevens (born July 28, 1987, in
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...
; 16 years old at the time of the show) was from
East Amherst, New York
East Amherst is a suburban hamlet located northeast of downtown Buffalo, in Erie County, New York, United States. It straddles the towns of Amherst and Clarence, and comprises the majority of ZIP code 14051.
History
East Amherst is a wealt ...
, and auditioned in New York City with
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz, May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, actor, singer, musician, choreographer, and presenter, whose career in stage, film, and television spanned 76 years. He is widely regarded as the "g ...
's "
The Way You Look Tonight
"The Way You Look To-night" is a song from the film '' Swing Time'' that was performed by Fred Astaire and composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics written by Dorothy Fields. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1936. Fields remarked, ...
." He performed
Tony Bennett
Anthony Dominick Benedetto (August 3, 1926 – July 21, 2023), known professionally as Tony Bennett, was an American jazz and traditional pop singer. He received many accolades, including 20 Grammy Awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, ...
's "
I Left My Heart in San Francisco
"I Left My Heart in San Francisco" is a popular song, best known as the signature song of Tony Bennett. It was written in late-1953 in Brooklyn, New York, with music by George Cory (1920–1978) and lyrics by Douglass Cross (1920–1975).
I ...
" in Hollywood.
*
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981), also known by her nickname J.Hud, is an American singer, actress, producer, and talk show host. Having received List of awards and nominations received by Jennifer Hudson, numerous accolades for ...
(born September 12, 1981, in
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
; 22 years old at the time of the show) auditioned in Atlanta with Aretha Franklin's "
Share Your Love with Me
"Share Your Love with Me" is a song written by Alfred Braggs and Deadric Malone. It was originally recorded by blues singer Bobby "Blue" Bland. Over the years, the song has been covered by various artists, most notably Aretha Franklin who won a G ...
."
*
Jon Peter Lewis
Jon Peter Lewis (born November 7, 1979) is an American singer and songwriter, and was one of the finalists on the third season of the reality/talent-search television series ''American Idol''. He was frequently referred to by the judges and Rya ...
(born November 7, 1979, in
Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska. The city covers and had a population of 291,082 as of the 2020 census. It is the state's List of cities in Nebraska, second-most populous city a ...
; 24 years old at the time of the show) was from
Rexburg, Idaho
Rexburg is a city in Madison County, Idaho, United States. The population was 39,409 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The city is the county seat of Madison County and its largest city. Rexburg is the principal city of the Rexburg ...
, and auditioned in Honolulu with
Van Morrison
Sir George Ivan "Van" Morrison (born 31 August 1945) is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician whose recording career started in the 1960s. Morrison's albums have performed well in the UK and Ireland, with more than 40 reaching the UK ...
's "
Crazy Love." He performed
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5, later known as the Jacksons, are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was formed in Gary, Indiana in 1964, and originally consisted of brothers Jackie, Ti ...
's "
I Want You Back
"I Want You Back" is the first national single by the Jackson 5. It was released by Motown on October 7, 1969, and became the first number-one hit for the band on January 31, 1970. It was performed on the band's first television appearances, on ...
" in Hollywood.
*
Camile Velasco
Ciara-Camile "Camile" Roque Velasco (born September 1, 1985), known by her stage name Eli-Mac, is a Philippines, Filipino American singer and came in ninth place on the American Idol (season 3), third season of the reality/talent-search televis ...
(born September 1, 1985, in
Makati, Philippines
Makati ( ; ), officially the City of Makati (), is a highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines, known for being one of the leading financial centers in the country. As of 2013, the city has the highest concent ...
; 18 years old at the time of the show) was from
Haiku, Hawaii, and auditioned in Honolulu with
Fugees
The Fugees () are an American hip hop group formed in South Orange, New Jersey, in 1990. The trio of Wyclef Jean, Pras Michel, and Lauryn Hill was known for their fusion of hip hop, reggae, R&B, and funk; their socially conscious lyrics; and ...
' "
Ready or Not."
* Amy Adams (born July 25, 1979, in
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City (commonly known as KCK) is the third-most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is an inner suburb of the older and more populous Kansas City, Missouri, after which it is named. As ...
; 24 years old at the time of the show) was from
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city in and the county seat of Kern County, California, United States. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, which is located in the Central Valley region.
Bakersfield's population as of th ...
, and auditioned in Atlanta with
Fontella Bass
Fontella Marie Bass (; July 3, 1940 – December 26, 2012) was an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter best known for her number-one R&B hit " Rescue Me" in 1965. She was nominated for a Grammy Award twice.
Early life
Fontella Bass was bor ...
' "
Rescue Me." She performed
Jennifer Rush
Jennifer Rush (born Heidi Stern; September 28, 1960) is an American pop and rock singer. She achieved initial success during the mid-1980s with several singles and studio albums, including the million-selling single " The Power of Love", whic ...
's "
The Power of Love" in Hollywood.
*
Matthew Rogers
Matthew Wyatt "Matt" Rogers (born September 16, 1978) is an American television host and country singer. He was also one of the finalists on the American Idol (season 3), third season of the reality/talent-search television series ''American I ...
(born September 16, 1978, in
Rancho Cucamonga, California
Rancho Cucamonga ( ) is a city located just south of the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and Angeles National Forest in San Bernardino County, California, United States. About east of Downtown Los Angeles, Rancho Cucamonga is the List ...
; 25 years old at the time of the show) auditioned in Los Angeles with
James Ingram
James Edward Ingram (February 16, 1952 – January 29, 2019) was an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He was a two-time Grammy Award-winner and a two-time Academy Award nominee for Best Original Song. After beginning his career ...
's "Just Once."
*
Leah LaBelle
Leah LaBelle Vladowski (September 8, 1986 – January 31, 2018) was an American singer. She rose to prominence in 2004 as a contestant on the third season of ''American Idol'', placing twelfth in the season finals. In 2007, LaBelle began reco ...
(born September 8, 1986, in
Toronto, Canada
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
; 17 years old at the time of the show) was from
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
, and auditioned in New York with Whitney Houston's "
I Believe in You and Me
"I Believe in You and Me" is a song written by Sandy Linzer and David Wolfert in 1982. The song was first recorded and released by the R&B group The Four Tops, who released it as a single from their album '' One More Mountain'' (1982). While it ...
." She performed
Diana Ross
Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...
' "
Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)
"Theme from ''Mahogany'' (Do You Know Where You're Going To)" is a song written by Michael Masser and Gerry Goffin and produced by Masser. It was initially recorded by American singer Thelma Houston in 1973, and then by Diana Ross as the theme ...
" in Hollywood.
Finals
This season, guests were introduced as celebrity judges and often also served as mentors for the week they appeared.
Color key:
Top 12 – Soul (March 17)
Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
Top 11 – Country (March 24)
Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
Top 10 – Motown (March 31)
Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson served as mentors and guest judges. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
Top 9 – Elton John (April 7)
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
served as a mentor and guest judge. Contestants performed songs from
Elton John's discography and are listed in the order they performed.
Top 8 – Movie soundtracks (April 15)
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. Quentin Tarantino filmography, His films are characterized by graphic violence, extended dialogue often featuring much profanity, and references to ...
served as a mentor and guest judge. Contestants chose songs featured in movies and are listed in the order they performed.
Top 7 – Barry Manilow (April 21)
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow ( ; born Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer with a career that spans over sixty years. His hit recordings include "Could It Be Magic", "Looks Like We Made It", "Brandy (Scott ...
served as a mentor and guest judge. Contestants performed songs from
his discography and are listed in the order they performed.
Top 6 – Gloria Estefan (April 28)
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Estefan (; ; born September 1, 1957) is an American singer, actress, and businesswoman. Estefan is an eight-time Grammy Awards, Grammy Award winner, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and has been named one of t ...
served as a mentor and guest judge. Contestants performed songs from
her discography and are listed in the order they performed.
Top 5 – Big Band (May 5)
Contestants performed two songs each and are listed in the order they performed.
Top 4 – Disco (May 12)
Donna Summer
Donna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the "Queen of Disco", while her music ...
served as a mentor and guest judge. Contestants performed two songs each and are listed in the order they performed.
Top 3 (May 19)
Clive Davis
Clive Jay Davis (born April 4, 1932) is an American record producer, A&R executive, record executive, and lawyer. He has won five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a non-performer, in 2000.
From 1967 to 1 ...
served as a mentor and guest judge. Contestants performed three songs each: one chosen by themselves, one chosen by one of the judges, and one chosen by Clive Davis. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
Top 2 – Finale (May 26)
The two finalists performed three songs each, and are listed in the order they performed.
After a nationwide vote of more than 65 million votes — more than the first two seasons combined —
Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Monique Barrino-Taylor (born June 30, 1984), known professionally by her mononym Fantasia, is an American singer and actress. She rose to prominence in 2004 for her performance of the ''Porgy and Bess'' standard " Summertime" during th ...
won ''American Idol'' over
Diana DeGarmo
Diana Nicole DeGarmo (born June 16, 1987) is an American singer. She rose to fame in 2004 as the runner-up of the third season of ''American Idol'', releasing her debut studio album, '' Blue Skies'', later that year. The following year, DeGarmo ...
.
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne (born Kelly Brianne Clarkson, April 24, 1982), known professionally as Kelly Clarkson, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Rising to fame after winning the American Idol season 1, first season of ''Ameri ...
is quoted in the June 14, 2004 ''
People
The term "the people" refers to the public or Common people, common mass of people of a polity. As such it is a concept of human rights law, international law as well as constitutional law, particularly used for claims of popular sovereignty. I ...
'' magazine as saying she voted for Fantasia: "I just hit redial, redial."
Prior to the results show, the
governors
A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
of
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States
Georgia may also refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
and
North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
—the home states of DeGarmo and Barrino, respectively— announced a friendly bet between them over which state's resident would prevail, with each wagering a VIP
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...
ticket package and a shipment of his state's signature fruit. The bet participants were
Georgia Governor
The governor of Georgia is the head of government of Georgia and the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard, when not in federal service, and State Defense Force. The governor also has a duty to enforce state laws, the power to eithe ...
Sonny Perdue
George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III (born December 20, 1946) is an American politician, veterinarian, and businessman who served as the 31st United States secretary of agriculture from 2017 to 2021.
A member of the Republican Party (United States), ...
and
North Carolina Governor
The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. Seventy-five people have held the office since the first state governor, Richard Caswell, took office in 1777. The governor serves a term of four ye ...
Mike Easley
Michael Francis Easley (born March 23, 1950) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the List of Governors of North Carolina, 72nd governor of North Carolina from 2001 to 2009. He is the first
governor of North Carolina to have been ...
.
Elimination chart
Color key:
Controversies
Both
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981), also known by her nickname J.Hud, is an American singer, actress, producer, and talk show host. Having received List of awards and nominations received by Jennifer Hudson, numerous accolades for ...
and
LaToya London
LaToya Renee London (born December 29, 1978) is an American R&B and soul singer and stage actress who was fourth-place finalist on the third season of ''American Idol.'' Her debut album, '' Love & Life'', was released in September 2005 and spa ...
, part of the final 12, were eliminated, despite high praises from the judges. After Hudson was eliminated,
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
, who was a mentor for that season, criticized the vote as being "incredibly racist" in a press conference.
The elimination of both Hudson and London has been pointed out as a classic demonstration of
vote-splitting
In social choice theory and politics, a spoiler effect happens when a losing candidate affects the results of an election simply by participating. Voting rules that are not affected by spoilers are said to be spoilerproof.
The frequency and se ...
in ''American Idol'', in which the presence of similar choices reduces the votes for each of the similar choices. Hudson, London, and Barrino (who eventually won the competition) were all female,
African-American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
, highly complimented singers—all appealing to the same
demographic
Demography () is the statistics, statistical study of human populations: their size, composition (e.g., ethnic group, age), and how they change through the interplay of fertility (births), mortality (deaths), and migration.
Demographic analy ...
bloc of voters. All three of these previously popular singers ended up in the "bottom three" the night Hudson was eliminated, having the lowest individual vote counts.
Reception
U.S. Nielsen ratings
Live + same day ratings
This season the show was ranked second overall in total viewer for the 2003–2004 TV seasons, with its Tuesday episodes taking the top spot, averaging 25.73 million viewers, while the Wednesday episodes ranked third with 24.31 million. It became the top-rated show for the 18-49 demographic for the season,
a position it has held for all subsequent years up to and including 2011.
''Note 1: The Top 8 shows were shifted to Wednesday and Thursday due to a presidential address on Tuesday.''
Live + 7 day (DVR) ratings
Related programming
* Home for the Holidays: Kelly, Ruben, & Fantasia
''Home for the Holidays: Kelly, Ruben & Fantasia'' aired in November 2004.
*
''American Idol Rewind (season 3)''
Re-edited episodes of the third season were shown in syndication as ''American Idol Rewind'', paired with
season 4 Season 4 may refer to:
* "Season 4" (''30 Rock'' episode), an episode of ''30 Rock''
See also
*
* Season One (disambiguation)
* Season 2 (disambiguation) Season 2 may refer to:
* ''Season 2'' (Infinite album), 2014
* ''2econd Season'', an album ...
. The season could not be syndicated in full for reasons beyond control (citing its unfair voting allegations
) and is the only season to be edited for those reasons.
Music releases
*''
American Idol Season 3: Greatest Soul Classics''
Concert tour
*
American Idols Live! Tour 2004
References
External links
*
{{American Idol
American Idol seasons
2004 American television seasons