Though “American Idol” runner-up Katharine McPhee’s self-titled debut album isn’t scheduled to drop until January 30, 2007, one could say with confidence that her success is assured – at least if ‘Idol’ is any indication. McPhee belted out a string of stunning power ballads on the show, pushing her to the coveted Final Two. She may have lost out to Taylor Hicks and his ‘Soul Patrol’ groupies, but McPhee is unlikely to remain a runner-up in her career.
McPhee was born on March 25, 1984 in the L.A. suburb of Sherman Oaks, California. Her mother Patricia is a professional voice coach and former cabaret singer, and recognized her daughter’s talent from an early age. Young Katharine’s passions quickly moved towards the stage, and after graduating from Notre Dame High School she headed to the prestigious Boston Conservatory to study musical theatre. Though she left before graduating to audition for television pilots in L.A., McPhee performed in several student productions in Boston including a Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club production of “Pippin.” Her pre-‘Idol’ days in L.A. saw her impress in regional productions like “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir” and as the lead character in “Annie Get Your Gun,” for which she received a Theatre L.A. Ovation Award nomination.
The talented singer and actress was an early favorite of ‘Idol’ judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell. Her pleasant demeanor and powerful voice registered well with fans too, and some of her performances were singled out for their originality – particularly her renditions of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and KT Tunstall’s “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree.” Her ultimate loss to Hicks was a disappointment for McPhee’s fans, but like all ‘Idol’ runners-up she scored a major record deal and will have the opportunity to stay in the spotlight. Results have been mixed for second-place Idols – while Clay Aiken and Bo Bice have found success, others like Diana DeGarmo and Justin Guarini have failed to stir up big album sales. With McPhee’s positive attitude and enormous talent (not to mention her incredible sex appeal revealed by her just-released album cover), it’s a safe bet she’ll find herself near the top of the ‘Idol’ crop.