Kris Allen

Kristopher Neil Allen is an American singer and songwriter best known as the winner of the eighth season of American Idol. Prior to his victory on the show, he self-released his debut album, Brand New Shoes, in 2007. Following his American Idol win, Allen achieved mainstream success with several charting singles, including his coronation song "No Boundaries", his rendition of "Heartless", and the platinum-certified lead single "Live Like We're Dying" from his major-label debut.

Allen was born in Jacksonville, Arkansas, to Kimberly and Neil Allen, and is the elder of two sons. His involvement in music began early, starting with the viola in elementary school. He later played the instrument in the orchestra at Mills University Studies High School and earned a position in the Arkansas all-state orchestra. Allen taught himself to play the guitar at age 13 and also learned to play the piano. His early musical influences included the Beatles, Jamie Cullum, Jason Mraz, Pat Monahan, John Mayer, and Michael Jackson.

After high school, Allen attended the University of Central Arkansas as a business major. During his college years, he participated in Christian missionary work across several countries, including Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, South Africa, Spain, and Thailand, and served as a worship leader. He dropped out of college during his junior year to pursue a career in music, working as a shoe salesman while performing local evening gigs. In 2007, he written and self-produced the album Brand New Shoes with his college friends and bandmates.

In 2008, Allen auditioned for American Idol in Louisville, Kentucky. Throughout the competition, he earned praise for his folk-inspired arrangements of pop music and his ability to play acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboard, and piano. His notable performances included arrangements of "Ain't No Sunshine", "Falling Slowly", "She Works Hard for the Money", and Kanye West's "Heartless". On May 20, 2009, Allen was declared the winner of the season, becoming the first married contestant to win the title and the first winner to accept a microphone-shaped trophy.

Following his win, Allen made his Billboard Hot 100 debut with five songs charting simultaneously. He signed with Jive Records and released his self-titled major-label debut album, Kris Allen, on November 17, 2009, which debuted at number 11 on the U.S. Billboard 200. Its lead single, "Live Like We're Dying", peaked at number 18 and achieved over 1.7 million in combined sales. The album also spawned the singles "The Truth" featuring Pat Monahan and "Alright with Me".

In addition to his own recordings, Allen co-wrote songs recorded by other artists, including Matthew Morrison, Lloyd Cele, Heinz Winckler, and Javier Colon. He released his second major-label album, Thank You Camellia, in May 2012, led by the single "The Vision of Love". In March 2016, Allen released his fifth studio album, Letting You In. Alongside his music projects, he has participated in humanitarian efforts, including traveling to Haiti with the United Nations Foundation in 2010 to raise awareness for earthquake disaster relief.