American Idol (season 3)
The third season of American Idol premiered on Monday, January 19, 2004, and continued until May 26, 2004. The third season was won by Fantasia Barrino, who defeated Diana DeGarmo by an approximate margin of 2% ; the vote total was the highest recorded vote total in the show's history until the May 23, 2007, finale of the sixth season. This season also featured Jennifer Hudson, who would subsequently win the 2006 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. This was the last season to be aired in standard definition, with the only exception being the grand finale.
Season 3 was the first season where both the winner and the runner-up had been in the bottom 2 or 3 prior to the finale. It was the first season to have a finale with two female contestants. It is also the first season where a Wild Card contestant, Leah LaBelle, was eliminated in the first episode of the finals. It was the first season to have a gender imbalance among the finalists, Season 3 had eight female finalists.
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 DeGarmo, Jasmine Trias, LaToya London, George Huff, Jennifer Hudson, and Camile Velasco have all released albums since the season ended. Leah LaBelle was signed by Epic Records.
Changes
Unlike previous seasons, this season the semi-finalists performed in front of a small studio audience, with orchestra accompaniment on backing tape.During Top 10 was the first time where there were five judges when the duo Ashford & Simpson joined as judges.
Regional auditions
Auditions were held in the following cities:In this season over 80,000 attended the auditions in 6 cities. Paula Abdul was absent from the Los Angeles audition. A prominent auditioner was William Hung, a University of California, Berkeley student, who became a surprise cult figure following his tuneless rendition of Ricky Martin's "She Bangs" 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 and he released an album soon afterwards.
During the audition round in Houston, Texas, auditioner Jonathan Rey threw a cup of water at Simon, who moments earlier commented that he was terrible and "there's not a song in the world you could sing." Security quickly escorted Jonathan out, and Houston police questioned him, but released him after Simon decided against pressing assault charges on him. Other prominent auditioners that year were "scooter girl" Nicole Tieri, and Alan Ritchson who sang to Paula Abdul alone.
Hollywood week
There were 117 contestants in the first Hollywood round which was held at the Pasadena Civic Center in Pasadena, California. The contestants first came onto the stage in groups but each performed solo and talked briefly about themselves. Simon Cowell was not impressed with their performances. 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 performance, 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 girls and boys were separate and they were each given 3 different songs to choose – Girls with The Supremes' "You Can't Hurry Love", Vonda Shepard's "Tell Him", Candi Staton's "Young Hearts Run Free", the boys with Billy Joel's "Tell Her About It", Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up", The Drifters'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 semi-finals.
Semi-finals
The contestants who reached this stage were referred to in the show as the Top 32 finalists.George Huff replaced Donnie Williams in Semifinal Round 4 after Williams was disqualified following a DUI arrest.
Unlike previous seasons, this season the contestants performed in front of a small studio audience, with orchestra accompaniment on backing tape. As with the second season, in these rounds, two 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 show.
During the wild card show, twelve contestants were invited back to participate. However, in a controversial move, after being evaluated during the week in rehearsals, only eight were chosen by the producers to sing that night.
Four contestants in the wild card round were eliminated by the judges before they had the chance to sing. They were Lisa Leuschner, Eric Yoder, Tiara Purifoy, and Marque Lynche.
Semi-finalists
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Wild Card round
Finals
In this season, guest judges were introduced in some episodes, and sometimes the mentor joined as judges.In the result shows, the bottom two vote-getters reprised their performances before the elimination was announced, or only the eliminated one performed after the result is revealed, or they performed before and after their elimination as in Top 5 when George Huff reprised both his songs from the performance night.
Finalists
- Fantasia Barrino auditioned in Atlanta. Her audition songs were Lauryn Hill's "Killing Me Softly with His Song" and Tina Turner's "Proud Mary". She has performed from a young age with her family who had released a CD. She performed Aretha Franklin's "Think" in the Hollywood rounds.
- Diana DeGarmo is from Snellville, Georgia, and auditioned in Honolulu, Hawaii with Aretha Franklin's "Chain of Fools". She was on the show America's Most Talented Kid in 2002 as well as other TV shows. She performed Ike & Tina Turner's "A Fool in Love" in the Hollywood rounds. At 16 years, 7 months and 26 days old, she was the youngest contestant reach into the finals until Thia Megia and Lauren Alaina made to the finals in the tenth season. She was also the youngest Runner-Up in the history of American Idol.
- Jasmine Trias is from Mililani, Hawaii and auditioned in Honolulu. She is the first Filipino-American contestant in American Idol who made it to the final three, followed by Jessica Sanchez in the eleventh season, who was the Runner-Up.
- LaToya London is from Oakland, California and auditioned in San Francisco with Aretha Franklin's "Chain of Fools".
- George Huff auditioned in Houston, Texas with Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful". He performed Luther Vandross' "Here and Now" in the Hollywood rounds.
- John Stevens is from East Amherst, New York and auditioned in New York City with Fred Astaire's "The Way You Look Tonight". He performed Tony Bennett's "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" in Hollywood. He was the youngest male contestant to reach into the finals until Daniel Seavey in the fourteenth season.
- Jennifer Hudson auditioned in Atlanta with Aretha Franklin's "Share Your Love with Me".
- Jon Peter Lewis is from Rexburg, Idaho and auditioned in Honolulu with Van Morrison's "Crazy Love". He was dubbed the 'pen salesman' by Simon Cowell. He performed The Jackson 5's "I Want You Back".
- Camile Velasco is from Haiku, Maui and auditioned in Honolulu with Fugees' "Ready or Not".
- Amy Adams is from Bakersfield, California and auditioned in Atlanta, Georgia with Fontella Bass' "Rescue Me". She performed Jennifer Rush's "The Power of Love" in Hollywood.
- Matthew Rogers auditioned in Los Angeles with James Ingram's "Just Once".
- Leah LaBelle is from Seattle and auditioned in New York with Whitney Houston's "I Believe in You and Me". She auditioned with her birth name Leah Vladowski. Her family was originally from Bulgaria, who immigrated to the United States. She performed Diana Ross' "Theme from Mahogany " at the Hollywood rounds. In 2011, LaBelle signed to Epic Records. LaBelle was killed in a car crash alongside her husband Rasual Butler on January 31, 2018, making her the third American Idol finalist to die, following Rickey Smith in 2016 and Michael Johns in 2014.
Top 12 – Soul
| Order | Contestant | Song | Result |
| 1 | LaToya London | "Ain't Nobody" | Safe |
| 2 | Amy Adams | "You Make Me Feel Brand New" | Bottom 3 |
| 3 | Matthew Rogers | "Hard to Handle" | Safe |
| 4 | Camile Velasco | "Son of a Preacher Man" | Safe |
| 5 | Jon Peter Lewis | "Drift Away" | Safe |
| 6 | Fantasia Barrino | "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" | Safe |
| 7 | George Huff | " The Dock of the Bay" | Safe |
| 8 | Jennifer Hudson | "Baby I Love You" | Bottom 2 |
| 9 | John Stevens | "Lately" | Safe |
| 10 | Leah LaBelle | "You Keep Me Hangin' On" | Eliminated |
| 11 | Jasmine Trias | "Inseparable" | Safe |
| 12 | Diana DeGarmo | "Think" | Safe |
- Group performance: Soul Medley
- Guest performance: Clay Aiken – "Solitaire"
Top 11 – Country
- Guest performance: Kimberley Locke – "8th World Wonder"
Top 10 – Motown
- Guest judges: Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson
| Order | Contestant | Song | Result |
| 1 | Camile Velasco | "For Once in My Life" | Safe |
| 2 | Jon Peter Lewis | "This Old Heart of Mine" | Safe |
| 3 | LaToya London | "Ooo Baby Baby" | Bottom 3 |
| 4 | Amy Adams | "Dancing in the Street" | Eliminated |
| 5 | John Stevens | "My Girl" | Safe |
| 6 | Jennifer Hudson | " Heat Wave" | Bottom 2 |
| 7 | Jasmine Trias | "You're All I Need to Get By" | Safe |
| 8 | Diana DeGarmo | "Do You Love Me" | Safe |
| 9 | Fantasia Barrino | "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" | Safe |
| 10 | George Huff | "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" | Safe |
- Group performance: "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"
Top 9 – Elton John
- Guest Mentor: Elton John
| Order | Contestant | Song | Result |
| 1 | Fantasia Barrino | "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" | Safe |
| 2 | Jon Peter Lewis | "Rocket Man" | Safe |
| 3 | Jasmine Trias | "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" | Bottom 2 |
| 4 | John Stevens | "Crocodile Rock" | Safe |
| 5 | Camile Velasco | "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" | Eliminated |
| 6 | George Huff | "Take Me to the Pilot" | Safe |
| 7 | Diana DeGarmo | "I'm Still Standing" | Bottom 3 |
| 8 | LaToya London | "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" | Safe |
| 9 | Jennifer Hudson | "Circle of Life" | Safe |
- Boys: "Daniel"
- Girls: "Bennie and the Jets"
- Group: "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"
- Guest performance: Tamyra Gray – "Raindrops Will Fall"
Top 8 – Movie Soundtracks
| Order | Contestant | Song | Featured Movie | Result |
| 1 | George Huff | "Against All Odds " | Against All Odds | Safe |
| 2 | Jennifer Hudson | "I Have Nothing" | The Bodyguard | Safe |
| 3 | Jon Peter Lewis | "Jailhouse Rock" | Jailhouse Rock | Eliminated |
| 4 | Diana DeGarmo | "My Heart Will Go On" | Titanic | Bottom 3 |
| 5 | Fantasia Barrino | "Summertime" | Porgy and Bess | Safe |
| 6 | Jasmine Trias | "When I Fall in Love" | Sleepless in Seattle | Safe |
| 7 | John Stevens | "As Time Goes By" | Casablanca | Bottom 2 |
| 8 | LaToya London | "Somewhere" | West Side Story | Safe |
- Guest performance: Christina Christian – "Forever and Never"
Top 7 – Barry Manilow
- Guest Mentor and Judge: Barry Manilow
| Order | Contestant | Song | Result |
| 1 | Diana DeGarmo | "One Voice" | Safe |
| 2 | George Huff | "Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again" | Safe |
| 3 | Jennifer Hudson | "Weekend in New England" | Eliminated |
| 4 | Jasmine Trias | "I'll Never Love This Way Again" | Safe |
| 5 | LaToya London | "All the Time" | Bottom 3 |
| 6 | John Stevens | "Mandy" | Safe |
| 7 | Fantasia Barrino | "It's a Miracle" | Bottom 2 |
- Group performance: "Let Freedom Ring" feat. Barry Manilow
Top 6 – Gloria Estefan
| Order | Contestant | Song | Result |
| 1 | Fantasia Barrino | "Get on Your Feet" | Safe |
| 2 | George Huff | "Live for Loving You" | Bottom 2 |
| 3 | LaToya London | "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You" | Safe |
| 4 | John Stevens | "Music of My Heart" | Eliminated |
| 5 | Jasmine Trias | "Here We Are" | Bottom 3 |
| 6 | Diana DeGarmo | "Turn the Beat Around" | Safe |
- Group performance: Gloria Estefan medley
Top 5 – Big Band
Top 4 – Disco
Guest judge: Donna Summer| Order | Contestant | Song | Result |
| 1 | Jasmine Trias | "Everlasting Love" | Safe |
| 2 | LaToya London | "Love You Inside Out" | Eliminated |
| 3 | Fantasia Barrino | "Knock on Wood" | Bottom 2 |
| 4 | Diana DeGarmo | "This Is It" | Safe |
| 5 | Jasmine Trias | "It's Raining Men" | Safe |
| 6 | LaToya London | "Don't Leave Me This Way" | Eliminated |
| 7 | Fantasia Barrino | "Holding Out for a Hero" | Bottom 2 |
| 8 | Diana DeGarmo | "No More Tears " | Safe |
- Group performance: "Bad Girls"/"Hot Stuff"/"Heaven Knows"/"She Works Hard for the Money"
- Guest performance: Donna Summer - "MacArthur Park"
Top 3 – Idols' Choice, Judges' Choice, Clive's Choice
| Order | Contestant | Song | Result |
| 1 | Jasmine Trias | "Saving All My Love for You" | Eliminated |
| 2 | Fantasia Barrino | "Chain of Fools" | Safe |
| 3 | Diana DeGarmo | "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" | Safe |
| 4 | Jasmine Trias | "Mr. Melody" – Paula Abdul | Eliminated |
| 5 | Fantasia Barrino | "A Fool in Love" – Simon Cowell | Safe |
| 6 | Diana DeGarmo | "Because You Loved Me" – Randy Jackson | Safe |
| 7 | Jasmine Trias | "All by Myself" | Eliminated |
| 8 | Fantasia Barrino | "Greatest Love of All" | Safe |
| 9 | Diana DeGarmo | "Don't Cry Out Loud" | Safe |
- Guest performance: Tamyra Gray – "Star", "Raindrops Will Fall"
- Guest performance: Guy Sebastian – "Angels Brought Me Here"
Top 2 – Finale
- Note 1: The song was rewritten by Paul Anka specially for the episode as a recap for the season.
As a nod to the "Did Clay see the card?" controversy in the second season, Ryan Seacrest was instructed to memorize the winner's name and the vote margin and was given a blank card to hold while reporting the results. However, in a post-show interview with USA Today, Diana DeGarmo admitted that she had figured out that she had not won when the contestants were going over the schedule for the finale and she saw she would be singing "I Believe" before the results were announced. Realizing that she would not be scheduled to sing a song she would have to sing again minutes later if she were announced as the winner, she correctly deduced that she had lost and Fantasia had won.
Kelly Clarkson is quoted in the June 14, 2004 People magazine as saying she voted for Fantasia: "I just hit redial, redial."
Prior to the results show, the governors of Georgia and North Carolina—the home states of DeGarmo and Barrino respectively—announced a friendly bet between them over which state's resident would prevail, each wagering a VIP NASCAR ticket package and a shipment of his state's signature fruit. The bet participants were Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue, a Republican, and North Carolina Governor Mike Easley, a Democrat.
Special performances
Elimination chart
Paul Anka made an appearance in the Season Finale.
Contestants who appeared on other seasons/shows
- This is the first time that two contestants who previously tried out for American Idol made it to the top 3 of their semifinals group. Both contestants were eliminated during Hollywood round in the previous season.
- Finalist Jon Peter Lewis teamed with Ryan Hayes to create the duo Midas Whale and competed on fourth season of The Voice. They were eliminated in the Knockout Rounds.
- Runner-up Diana DeGarmo previously appeared on America's Most Talented Kid. She later appeared on the first season of Gone Country.
- Lisa Wilson competed in the Miss USA 2006 pageant, representing the state of Georgia. She was 2nd runner-up.
Controversy
The elimination of both Hudson and London has been pointed out as a classic demonstration of vote-splitting in the American Idol vote, in which the presence of similar choices reduces the votes for each of the similar choices. Hudson, London and Barrino were female, African-American, highly praised singers—all appealing to the same demographic bloc of voters. All three of these previously popular singers ended up in the "bottom three" the night Hudson was eliminated—the three having the lowest individual vote counts.
Questions were nevertheless raised about the inadequacy of the phone voting system when it was revealed that the state of Hawaii with a population of just 1.2 million managed to log more calls than every other state apart from New York and California. Jasmine Trias' and Camile Velasco's fans from Hawaii, which is on its own time zone, enjoyed a far less crowded calling period and were able to get more of their votes through.
Reception
U.S. Nielsen ratings
Live + same day ratingsThis 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 ratings
Critical response
Awards and nominations
Related programming
Home For The Holidays: Kelly, Ruben, & FantasiaHome For The Holidays: Kelly, Ruben, & Fantasia was aired in November 2004.
American Idol Rewind
Re-edited episodes of American Idol season 3 were shown in syndication as American Idol Rewind.
International broadcasts
Music releases
Compilation- "I Believe"
- Free Yourself
- Fantasia
- Back to Me
- "Side Effects of You"
- "The Definition Of...
- "Dreams"
- Blue Skies
- "Love Ko 'To"
- Jasmine Trias
- Love & Life
- "Appreciate/Every Part of Me/All By Myself"
- My Christmas EP!
- Miracles
- George Huff
- "Come Fly with Me"
- Red
- "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going"
- "Spotlight"
- Jennifer Hudson
- "All Dressed in Love"
- Stories from Hollywood
- Break the Silence
- "If I Go Away" / "Man Like Me"
- TBA
- Sing Me Home
- Reality
- I'll Be Seeing You
- Sun Shiney Day
- Just Like Magic
- This Is Next Time
- Str8up Band
- Love, Lipstick and Poetry
- Love, Lana
Concert tour
- American Idols Live! Tour 2004
Deaths
Finalist Leah LaBelle died January 31, 2018 in a car accident.
Marque Lynche
Semi-finalist Marque Lynche died on December 6, 2015.