American Idol Semi-finals

The semi-finals began on February 21, with the names announced on February 15. There were three shows each week for the three weeks of the semi-finals.

There were no format changes from season 4; it will feature 12 male singers and 12 female singers (24 total), with two of each being eliminated each week.

The 24 semi-finalists, announced February 15, 2006, along with their songs performed on the show, were:

Women-eliminated

Ayla Brown (14336) (born February 27, 1988) is an American singer and was fourteenth place on American Idol.
She is from Wrentham, Massachusetts. Her father, Scott Brown, is a Massachusetts state senator, and her mother, Gail Huff, is a local television personality at WCVB-TV. She has a college basketball scholarship at Boston College. She originally auditioned in Boston, singing Ain't No Mountain High Enough.

• Ayla Brown Official Website
  
• American Idol - Contestants: Ayla Brown
  
• Myspace Page
  
  
  
  1. Reflection (Christina Aguilera)
     
  2. I Want You To Need Me (Celine Dion)
     
  3. Unwritten (Natasha Bedingfield) - Eliminated 03/09/06
     
  
  

Kinnik Sky (63995) is from Duluth, Georgia. She auditioned in Greensboro.

1. Get Here (Oleta Adams)
   
2. Here For the Party (Gretchen Wilson) - Bottom 3 03/02/06
   
3. If I Ain't Got You (Alicia Keys) - Eliminated 03/09/06
   

Heather Heather Cox (36338) is from Jonesville, North Carolina. She auditioned in Denver.

1. When You Tell Me That You Love Me (Diana Ross)
   
2. Hero (Mariah Carey) - Eliminated 03/02/06
   

Brenna Gethers (14289) is from Mount Vernon, New York. She auditioned in Boston.

1. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life (Stevie Wonder)
   
2. Last Dance (Donna Summer) - Eliminated 03/02/06
   

Stevie Scott (36600) (born May 22, 1986 in Fair Oaks, California). She auditioned in Denver. She sang "Emotions" with Hannah Freeman and finalist Paris Bennett during their group performance in Hollywood. She was eliminated from American Idol (Season 5) on February 23, 2006 along with Becky O'Donohue, Bobby Bennett, and Patrick Hall. She made a cameo appearance on the Top 6 performance show of American Idol on April 25, 2006.

• Stevie Scott Website
  
• American Idol - Stevie Scott
  
  
  
  1. To Where You Are (Josh Groban) - Eliminated 02/23/06
     
  
  

Becky Becky O'Donohue (11588) is from Dobbs Ferry, New York. Her original audition was in Boston with her twin sister (who didn't sing due to recent throat surgery). Simon praised her looks, but said no to her voice. She was let through to Hollywood by Randy and Paula.

1. Because The Night (Patti Smith) - Eliminated 02/23/06
   

Men-eliminated

Gedeon Gedeon McKinney (4460) (born October 1, 1988) was the 13th place semi-finalist in the fifth season of American Idol. He comes from Memphis, Tennessee, but the Memphis auditions had to be canceled due to relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina that were taking place in Memphis. He was so poor that his school let him administer a concert, and the students paid USD$2.00 to get in, so he could enter the contest in another city. He auditioned in Chicago, and made it through the first rounds and eventually was one of the top 24 contestants. He was not given enough votes to enter the top 12, and was voted off. During the course of the show, Gedeon was famed for his almost permanent wide smile.
Gedeon McKinney's father Tony McKinney, an R&B singer who made an album "Love Me Right." died in December, 2005. "Hollywood is a place he always dreamed of going and I am living out my father's legacy, and I really thank God for that". Gedeon has three sisters and three brothers.

• Article, February 17, 2006 An 'Idol' dream is real for Yo! teen at commercialappeal.com
  
• March 11, 2006 Reality TV Magazine, article
  
• Unofficial Gedeon McKinney Fan Site
  
• American Idol - Contestants: Gedeon McKinney
  
• Gedeon McKinney - TWoP Forums
  
• Article, "McKinney honored by City Council" (March 22, 2006)
  
  
  
  1. Shout (The Isley Brothers)
     
  2. A Change Is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke)
     
  3. When A Man Loves a Woman (Percy Sledge) - Eliminated 03/09/06
     
  
  

Will Will Makar (58581) (born March 2, 1989 in The Woodlands, Texas) is an American singer and was fifteenth-place on the fifth season of American Idol. He is of Ukrainian origin and studies Japanese. Will is currently a sophomore at The Woodlands College Park High School in The Woodlands, TX. He was held back a year in elementary school by request of his parents. In school, Will has starred in several musical productions. In 1999 Will sang with the Houston Children’s Chorus for President Clinton, and again in 2002 for President Bush. After five years as a member of the Houston Children’s Chorus, Will decided he had grown too old, and "retired." In 2003, Will, along with his three friends Louis, Bobby, and Aaron, formed a band called Last Born, of which Will held the position of the lead vocals until 2005, when he decided to pursue a solo career. Will auditioned for American Idol (Season 5)] in Austin, TX.
He was eliminated on March 9, 2006, which was the same week that the Top 12 was announced. He finished in 15th place. During the show, Will developed a friendship with David Radford and Kevin Covais. They had performed together during the group performance in Hollywood week.[citation needed]

• American Idol - Contestants: Will Makar
  
• Will Makar's Official Website
  
• Will Makar at TV.com
  
• Will Makar's Fansite
  
• Will Makar Central
  
  
  
  1. I Want You Back (The Jackson 5)
     
  2. Lady (Kenny Rogers)
     
  3. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) (James Taylor) - Eliminated 03/09/06
     
  
  

José José "Sway" Penala (32613) (born October 27, 1977) is from South San Francisco, and he auditioned in San Francisco. Jose began writing lyrics and continued to perfect his voice through the years. In 1996, he partnered with his good friend, Darrell to form the group “DnH” - short for Drop n Harmony. Friends, Jerome and Lionel, joined the group within the next three years. The four self-starters worked hard on their craft, practicing constantly to blend their voices into the perfect mix of breathtaking harmonies. This San Francisco based group, was a favorite in the Bay Area and were likened to a Filipino Boyz II Men. At the end of 2001, Jose began a compilation with members of other Asian-American singing groups. During this initial collaboration, the four singers: Jose, Errol, Drey, and Cyrus, realized that they shared the same passion for music and similar visions of success. This led to the creation of a new group, “6th Day”. He sports a Fedora hat, overcoat and a dogtag to suit his RNB style of music when performing on-stage.

• American Idol - Contestants: Jose 'Sway" Penala
  
• Jose Penala's Fansite
  
• 6th Day Website
  
  
  
  1. Reasons (Earth Wind & Fire)
     
  2. Overjoyed (Stevie Wonder) - Eliminated 03/02/06
     
  
  

David David Radford (2436) (born March 22, 1988 in Crystal Lake, Illinois) is a high school senior at Crystal Lake Central High School. David has also been popular in singing with many students in his high school.He has been singing "his way" since he can remember. As a child, whenever there was a spotlight, David somehow found a way to its center. In addition to singing, David plays the trumpet as well as a mean game of Ping-Pong. He originally auditioned in Chicago. He was eliminated from American Idol on March 2, 2006 along with José (Sway) Penala, Brenna Gethers and Heather Cox.
David also became best friends and roommates with semi-finalists, Will Makar, and Ayla Brown and finalists, Kevin Covais, Paris Bennett, Lisa Tucker, Katharine McPhee, and Kellie Pickler.

• David Radford's Unofficial Website
  
• American Idol - Contestants: David Radford
  
  
  
  1. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Queen)
     
  2. The Way You Look Tonight (Frank Sinatra) - Eliminated 03/02/06
     
  
  

Patrick Patrick Hall (79857) is from Gravette, Arkansas and was seen for the first time in Hollywood.

• Come to My Window (Melissa Etheridge) - Eliminated 02/23/06
  

Bobby Bobby Bennett (36477) is from Denver and also auditioned there. He made an appearance in the March 21 episode wherein Barry Manilow performed that night.

• Copacabana (Barry Manilow) - Eliminated 02/23/06