'American Idol': Catching up With 13 Former Contestants!

Season 7, sixth place

Smithson, one of Idol's foremost lady-rockers, originally wanted to make a solo album. But the lure of forming a band spoke to her instead — and that's when she met Ben Moody, formerly of Evanesence, with whom she created We Are the Fallen. ''I've never been so on the same page with someone before,'' Smithson says of Moody, who's famous for abruptly quitting Evanesence after creative differences with lead singer Amy Lee. ''This record just fell out of us,'' Smithson says of Tear the World Down, slated for a May 11 release. ''I'd been writing for a long time, years, and it was always an effort — never as easy as this. It's tender and emotional in parts. In other parts, it's dramatic and in-your-face and very bold.'' But the best part of the record? ''We have a massive choir throughout.'' —Tanner Stransky

Check out We Are the Fallen's official site.

Season 8, eighth place

After touring with his fellow season 8 alums, MacIntyre recorded an album, Heartstrings, which was released on March 11. ''I had so many songs just built up that the fans were dying to hear and I was dying to share with people. And when no one chomped at the bit immediately, I decided to go the unconventional route. I had to get it out,'' says MacIntyre of his decision to self-release the collection of self-written, piano-driven songs. The singer-songwriter is flexing his writing muscles in other ways, too: MacIntyre plans on releasing a memoir about his life and experiences on Idol. (A personal tragedy suffered by MacIntyre that the show never covered? The pianist suffered from kidney failure.) And, of course, he's still watching Idol. ''I don't think you can top season 8,'' he says. ''Not that I'm biased or anything.'' —Kate Ward

Check out Scott MacIntyre's official site.

Season 1, fourth place

She's faced the judges' criticism on Idol, booked TV gigs on shows like Boston Public and What I Like About You, and graced the silver screen in 2008's Rachel Getting Married. But despite all that, Gray is 23 weeks into what she calls the hardest job she's ever had: being pregnant. ''Idol is a piece of cake compared to this,'' says Gray, breaking the news exclusively to EW. It's been a tough first trimester, but Gray is nonetheless excited to be expecting her first child with music producer husband (and former Color Me Badd member) Sam Watters. Prior to her pregnancy, her plan was to audition for pilot season and release an in-the-works R&B album, but those plans are now on hold. ''I'm going to give myself about two months [after the baby is born]. Hopefully I won't gain too much weight,'' she says. ''But I will be back. Back with a vengeance.'' —Sandra Gonzalez

Follow Tamyra Gray on Twitter.

Season 6, 10th place

The mop-topped crooner might have left the Idol stage earlier than he'd hoped, but his career as a singer/songwriter hasn't skipped a beat: Sligh co-wrote Rascal Flatts' hit ''Here Comes Goodbye'' (recently covered on Idol by Aaron Kelly) and he's halfway through recording his second album, The Anatomy of Broken, tentatively slated for a fall release. ''It's definitely a Christian album,'' the 31-year-old says. ''My dad's a pastor, and I grew up doing Christian music. Idol was one thing — I went out and did that, but I realized this is actually where I want to be.'' After drawn-out negotiations to be released from a contract with his first label — ''there was a lot of banging my head against the wall'' — Sligh says he's just happy to be back in the studio. ''As bad as it was to [be in limbo for] 13 months, it's probably the best thing that could have happened. The whole sound of the record changed.'' —Margaret Lyons

Check out Chris Sligh's official site.

Season 8, ninth place

Megan Joy might not have snagged a label deal quite yet, but the singer has already finished 23 songs with collaborators including Benji Madden, Kevin Griffin, and John Feldmann. ''I'm going for a throwback bubble-gum fused with the Colbie Caillat-type feel,'' she says. ''I'm kind of like Amy Winehouse, but [the mood is] a little brighter.'' One of Joy's tracks, ''Boy Next Door,'' was already featured on ABC's The Deep End. And the singer has been donning her acting cap as well — Joy boasts a small role in the Farrelly Brothers' upcoming Hall Pass. ''It was pretty amazing,'' she says. ''They just threw in a little part for me, because they're super nice. I'm 'Burger Babe.' Only one line, but I get to deliver a joke!'' —Kate Ward

Check out Megan Joy on MySpace.

Season 5, seventh place

Young released a self-titled album just months after his Idol stint, but his post-show career has largely been theater-focused. He starred in both the Broadway and touring productions of the Grease revival and is currently playing Berger in Broadway's Hair, alongside fellow Idol alum Diana DeGarmo. ''We definitely get in the buff,'' teases Young, of the show's famous pre-intermission strip-down scene. ''We felt that if we didn't do it, the show wouldn't be complete.'' As for making music, Young has mostly been working behind the scenes, trying to develop a handful of new artists and even co-writing Chris Daughtry's first single, the blockbuster smash ''It's Not Over.'' However, Young hopes to start releasing his own R&B, club-ready music again very soon. ''I'm in the rebuilding process right now,'' Young says. ''We're making sure that when we push out we do it the right way.'' —Tanner Stransky

Check out Ace Young on MySpace.

Season 1, ninth place

The 27-year-old Verraros remembers experiencing season 1 of the fledgling ratings juggernaut as an openly gay man whose sexuality was never discussed on the show. ''I wasn't sure if people were ready for that,'' he says. But the closet door is no longer an issue, says Verraros, who married his husband Bill Brennan in September 2009.

Quite the opposite, Verraros co-starred in 2004's gay-themed comedy Eating Out and its 2006 sequel Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds, and will begin filming on a thriller called Copacabana next year. On the music front, he released his debut album Rollercoaster in 2005, which produced a single that peaked at No. 21 on Billboard's Hot Club/Dance chart. Currently, Verraros is hoping to find an indie label to release his next and possibly final album, Do Not Disturb. ''I think I'd like to just pull away [from singing],'' he says, ''and focus in on some more fun acting projects.'' —Sandra Gonzalez

Check out Jim Verraros' official site.

Season 3, sixth place

Following the 2004 Idols Live tour, Stevens returned to high school, but somehow managed to release an album, Red, on Madonna's Maverick Records, the next year. ''I'd be in school learning chemistry and that kind of stuff, and then I'd be flying to New York every Saturday working 11 hours, and flying back on Sunday,'' he says. ''So it was very surreal.'' After spending a few months after graduation making appearances, Stevens decided to apply to the esteemed Berklee College of Music, and just recently got his degree from the school. Now, the Idol alum is playing with the Beantown Swing Orchestra, and trying to find a record label to release his Christmas EP, Home for Christmas. —Kate Ward

Check out John Stevens' official site.

Season 8, eleventh place

Life after Idol has been filled with challenges for Grace, who's spent the last year doing Idol commentary for a local Memphis Top 40 radio station and participating in a Christmas-themed tour with fellow Idol finalists including David Hernandez, Gina Glocksen, and Michael Sarver. ''Since I didn't make it to the Top 10'' and missed the Idol summer tour, Grace says, ''I have to work twice as hard. Record deals don't just come flying at you like they would for the top three or four, you know?'' But Grace is still pursuing her radio dreams. ''I want to be a country-pop artist,'' Grace says. ''That's where I need to be.'' But, make no mistake, Grace is already a success of some sorts, since she makes her entire living off of music-related enterprises. ''I'm never going to have to wait another table in my entire life,'' Grace assures EW with pride. ''If you don't hear me on the radio singing songs, I'm going to be behind the scenes in the industry.'' —Tanner Stransky

Follow Alexis Grace on Twitter.

Season 2, fourth place

Gracin parted ways with Lyric Street Records (home to Rascal Flatts) after releasing his first two albums (and several top 10 country hits) under that imprint. Earlier this year, he signed with Average Joe's, on which he's planning to release a 17-track country album that he co-wrote and co-produced. ''I'm excited about it, but I'm scared about it at the same time,'' says the singer, who says the CD will incorporate some elements of Motown soul into the country mix. ''Nashville views me as a kid that came from a talent show. But I've been singing since I was eight or nine years old. The best thing I could do to shed the stigma is come out and show them what I can do and just put it all out there. With this album, that's what we do.'' Look for the as-of-yet untitled album's first single, ''Over Me,'' to drop at the end of March. —Kate Ward

Check out Josh Gracin on MySpace.

Season 4, fourth place

Fedorov has traded in the Idol stage for the off-Broadway one. Aside from his run in a 2007 NYC production of The Fantasticks, he recently finished a two-city, multi-month stint in the title role of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, a gig he plans on living off until he lands his next project. ''I've been blessed enough to not have to go and get a regular job because I just really don't see myself doing that,'' he says. ''There are people who come on Idol who were ready [to be stars] before they even got the show. I think for most [contestants] — including myself — it's a challenge to find yourself.'' —Sandra Gonzalez

Become a fan of Anthony Fedorov on Facebook.

Season 8, semifinalist

Luckily for Barton, her day job performing songs with her husband at Freedom Fellowship in Virginia Beach (where her dad is the pastor) allows her the flexibility to spend one week per month in Nashville. But don't let her monthly travels fool you — Barton's not aiming for the country market, but rather, is pursuing a ''soulful, acoustic folk vibe,'' she says. Thus far, Barton has worked with well-known songwriters including Cary Barlowe and Shane Stevens, and has an EP for sale at majorbob.com. What's more, Barton recently teamed up with fellow Idol semifinalists Ricky Braddy, Ann Marie Boskovich, Brent Keith, and Alex Wagner-Trugman for a benefit concert that raised money for a Haiti-relief charity called Buckets of Hope. ''I got to perform with some of my season 8 friends,'' says Barton, ''and use my 15 minutes of fame for something good.'' —Michael Slezak

Follow Felicia Barton on Twitter.

Season 3, 8th place

The affable JPL is in preproduction on his third album. ''This record will be mostly my stuff, which will be a first for me,'' he says from the studio in L.A. ''I've been playing a lot of shows recently where people seem to react better to the music that I'm writing.'' The latest EP is ''a lot more broken down, more of a soul-folk type thing'' and ''less of a large-production,'' the former pen salesman says. In addition to recording music, Lewis, 30, is also an avid vlogger: He jokingly describes his ''American Nobody'' web series as ''a Wayne's World-type show.'' —Margaret Lyons

Check out JPL's official site.

For more coverage of all things Idol, see EW's American Idol Central and follow Michael Slezak on Twitter

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