Phillip Phillips won “American Idol” season 11 in 2012, beating out finalist Jessica Sanchez. Phillips went on to have a successful music career, especially with his hit “Home,” which became his signature song. Since his win, Phillips has released four albums, with his debut album, “The World from the Side of the Moon,” becoming a platinum-selling record.
It has been 14 years since Phillips won on “American Idol,” but he is now revealing a surprising detail about his experience on the show that left him questioning how the beloved series worked behind the scenes.
Phillip Phillips Claims Some ‘American Idol’ Contestants During His Season Were Guaranteed to Advance
GettyIn a new interview with Taste of Country Nights, “American Idol” winner Phillip Phillips is opening up about something he noticed behind the scenes during his season of the show.
According to Phillips, not every contestant entered the competition through the same paths. As he advanced through the season, he discovered that some singers had been scouted by people connected to Idol and were assured that they would make it to a certain point in the competition.
“I never really watched the show, you know, when I went out for it, but people had tried out for years and it gets, it’s very serious for them,” he said. “You start realizing that some of these people were scouted.”
He continued, “So they were like, they were guaranteed they were going to make it to a certain level. I was like, what? I was kind of, my mind was blown on that.”
This new revelation from the singer could leave longtime fans questioning whether the competition series is as straightforward as it appeared on television. Hopefully, this isn’t something that the show continues to do with its contestants.
As for Phillips, he went on the show on a whim after his parents encouraged him. After going through initial rounds of auditions, he got a chance to audition in front of season 11 judges Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez, and Randy Jackson with Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.” Phillips also sang his own rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” while playing guitar. He would eventually win the entire season.
Phillips Recently Released New Music
Phillips continues to work in the music industry 14 years after his “American Idol” victory. In April, he released his new song, “Homesick,” his first major music release since 2023’s “Drift Back.”
In a post about the song’s release, fans in the comment section shared how excited they were to hear new music from the Idol winner. “I’ve been waiting for new music!!!” Another fan wrote, “Yessssss! Been listening to you since American Idol and love all your music, it seems to get better and better each time. My kids love it, too! Can’t wait for this!”
In June, he announced on Instagram the release of his new song, “Let’s Go Far,” and an accompanying EP, “Let’s Go Far: Vol. 1,” set to be released on September 4.
The singer also released the new single “Remember Me” in August. In fact, he shared a snippet of the “initial idea” of the track, which he had recorded back in 2024.
To celebrate the release of his new music, Phillips also announced that he’s going on tour. Kicking off in Dallas, Texas, on September 10, his “Let’s Go Far Tour” will take place in major cities across the U.S. and will end in Atlanta, Georgia, his home state, on November 22.
