Phillip Phillips

Phillip LaDon Phillips Jr. was born on September 20, 1990, in Albany, Georgia. He relocated to Leesburg, Georgia, at age 12. Prior to his musical career, he graduated from Albany Technical College with a major in Industrial Systems Technology and worked at his family’s pawn shop. Phillips began playing guitar at 14, mentored by his brother-in-law, Benjamin Neil. In 2009, he formed the Phillip Phillips Band with Neil and Todd Urick, performing at local venues. In 2010, he won the local singing competition, “Albany Star.” His musical influences include Jonny Lang, John Butler, Dave Matthews, and Damien Rice, along with ’60s and ’70s artists like Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. He describes his music as a “jazz and rock alternative sound.”

Phillips gained national recognition after winning the eleventh season of American Idol in 2012, auditioning in Savannah, Georgia, with “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” His unique style led executive producers to predict his victory early in the competition. During his time on American Idol, Phillips underwent eight procedures for kidney stones but continued to perform, never facing elimination. His coronation song, “Home,” became the best-selling in the show’s history, selling over 5 million copies in the U.S. and being featured in various media, including NBC’s Olympic coverage and film trailers. He performed “Home” at the 83rd MLB All-Star Game and on shows like The Today Show and Late Show with David Letterman. He consistently appeared on Forbes’ Highest Earning American Idol list, ranking third in 2014 and 2015, and fourth in 2016.

His debut album, “The World from the Side of the Moon,” released in November 2012, peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Platinum by the RIAA. The album featured singles like “Home” and “Gone, Gone, Gone,” the latter of which was used as the twelfth season of American Idol’s send-off song. He toured extensively, opening for Matchbox Twenty and John Mayer, and performing at Rock in Rio 2013 with Bruce Springsteen. His second album, “Behind the Light” (2014), included the singles “Raging Fire” and “Unpack Your Heart,” which earned him a BMI pop music songwriting award. In 2015, he initiated a lawsuit against his label, 19 Recordings, which was settled in 2017. He returned to American Idol for the series finale in 2016, performing a David Bowie tribute. His third album, “Collateral,” was released in 2018, followed by his fourth, “Drift Back,” in 2023, which produced the charting singles “Dancing with Your Shadows” and “Love Like That.”