record_label inseparable 
Nathaniel Adams Coles ( March 17 , 1919  February 15 , 1965 ), known professionally as Nat King Cole , was an American singer who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist . He was widely noted for his soft baritone voice , performing in ___MASK34___ and jazz genres , and was a major force in popular music for three decades . Cole was one of the first African Americans to host a national television variety show , " The Nat King Cole Show ". His recordings remained popular worldwide after his death from lung cancer in February 1965 . Simon Fuller ( born 17 May 1960 ) is an ___MASK96___ entrepreneur , artist manager and television producer . He is best known for being the creator of the " Idol " franchise , which was first seen in the UK under the name " ___MASK73___ Idol ", and includes " American Idol " in the U . S . Fuller is the executive producer of many other hit shows including the Fox TV reality shows " So You Think You Can Dance " and " Q ' Viva ". ___MASK62___ is a producer of entertainment properties for television with a focus on music . Based in Los Angeles , their contributions to the music industry include " American Idol " in the United States , " ___MASK73___ Idol " in the United Kingdom and versions of the " Idol series " in more than seventy countries around the world . ___MASK62___ is also responsible for the production of " So You Think You Can Dance ". American Idol is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller , produced by FremantleMedia North America and ___MASK62___ , and distributed by FremantleMedia North America . It began airing on Fox on June 11 , 2002 , and ended on April 7 , 2016 . It started off as an addition to the " Idols " format based on the British series " ___MASK73___ Idol ", and became one of the most successful shows in the history of American television . The concept of the series involves discovering recording stars from unsigned singing talents , with the winner determined by the viewers in America through telephones , Internet , and SMS text voting . Winners chosen by viewers in its fifteen seasons were Kelly Clarkson , Ruben Studdard , Fantasia Barrino , Carrie Underwood , Taylor Hicks , Jordin Sparks , David Cook , Kris Allen , Lee DeWyze , Scotty McCreery , Phillip Phillips , Candice Glover , Caleb Johnson , Nick Fradiani , and Trent Harmon . Phillip LaDon Phillips Jr . ( born September 20 , 1990 ) is an American singer , songwriter and musician who won the eleventh season of " American Idol " on May 23 , 2012 . His coronation song , " Home ," released after his win , became the best selling of all coronation songs . His debut ___MASK74___ " The World from the Side of the Moon " was released on November 19 , 2012 . His second ___MASK74___ , " Behind the Light ", was released on May 19 , 2014 . Jasmine Trias ( born November 3 , 1986 ) is an American singer - entertainer who was the third place finalist on the third season of " American Idol ". She has released one ___MASK74___ to date , " Jasmine Trias ". The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC ) is an American commercial broadcast television network that is the flagship property of NBCUniversal , a subsidiary of Comcast . The network is headquartered in the Comcast Building ( formerly known as the GE Building ) at Rockefeller Center in New York City , with additional major offices near Los Angeles ( at ___MASK15___ City Plaza ), Chicago ( at the NBC Tower ) and soon in Philadelphia at Comcast Innovation and Technology Center . The network is part of the Big Three television networks . NBC is sometimes referred to as the " Peacock Network ", in reference to its stylized peacock logo , which was originally created in 1956 for its then - new color broadcasts and became the network ' s official emblem in 1979 . Disco is a genre of dance music containing elements of ___MASK29___ , soul , ___MASK73___ , and salsa . It achieved popularity during the mid - 1970s to the early 1980s . Its initial audiences in the U . S . were club - goers from the gay , African American , Italian American , Latino , and psychedelic communities in Philadelphia and New York City during the late 1960s and early 1970s . Disco can be seen as a reaction against both the domination of rock music and the stigmatization of dance music by the counterculture during this period . It was popular with both men and women , from many different backgrounds . Kelly Brianne Clarkson ( born April 24 , ___MASK1___ ) is an American singer , songwriter , actress and author . She rose to fame in 2002 after winning the first season of " American Idol ", and has since been referred to as the " Original American Idol " and the " Queen of Covers ". She also became the runner - up of " World Idol " the following year . Signing with RCA Records , Clarkson released her debut single , " A Moment Like This ", which topped the " Billboard " Hot 100 chart and became the best - selling single of 2002 in the United States . Her debut ___MASK71___ , " Thankful " ( 2003 ), debuted at number one on the " Billboard " 200 and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ). Its lead single , " Miss Independent ", was a top - ten hit in various nations . ___MASK73___ Idol is a British television music competition created by Simon Fuller which ran on ITV from 2001 to 2003 . The aim of the show was to decide the best new young ___MASK73___ singer ( or " ___MASK73___ idol ") in the UK based on viewer voting and participation . Two series were broadcast  one in 2001  2002 and a second in 2003 . " ___MASK73___ Idol " was subsequently put on an indefinite hiatus after series judge Simon Cowell announced the launch of " The X Factor " in the UK in April 2004 . Christopher Ruben Studdard ( born September 12 , 1978 ), is an American R & B , ___MASK73___ and gospel singer . He rose to fame as winner of the second season of " American Idol " and received a Grammy Award nomination in December 2003 for Best Male R & B Vocal Performance for " Superstar ". In the years following " Idol ", Studdard has released six studio albums , including his platinum - selling debut , " Soulful ", and the top - selling gospel follow - up , " I Need an Angel ". He is most well known for his recording career , which has produced hits including " Flying Without Wings ", " Sorry 2004 ", and " Change Me ", but he has also segued into television and stage work . Most notably , he toured with Robin Givens in the comedy - drama " I Need a Hug " and in 2008 starred as Fats Waller in a national tour revival of " Ain ' t Misbehavin '", which spawned a Grammy - nominated soundtrack . Fantasia Monique Barrino ( born June 30 , 1984 ), known professionally by her mononym Fantasia , is an American R & B singer , songwriter , and actress . She rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series " American Idol " in 2004 . Following her victory , she released her debut single , " I Believe ," which debuted at number one on the " Billboard " Hot 100 . Subsequently , she released her debut ___MASK74___ , " Free Yourself ", which went on to be certified Platinum by the RIAA and garnered Barrino three Grammy nominations in 2006 . Unforgettable ... with Love , also known as simply Unforgettable , is a 1991 ___MASK74___ by American singer Natalie Cole . Released on June 11 , 1991 , the ___MASK74___ focuses on covers of standards previously performed by her father , Nat King Cole . It was also her debut for ___MASK28___ , after being given her release from ___MASK6___ . `` Inseparable '' is a 1975 R & B / Soul song originally recorded by American singer Natalie Cole . Released in November of 1975 , it was her second straight number one single on the Hot Soul Singles chart from her debut ___MASK74___ , Inseparable , and also reached number thirty - two on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart . A cover version was recorded and performed several times by American Idol hopeful Jasmine Trias in the show ' s third season . The song was also performed by Kimberly Reese ( Charnele Brown ) during a telethon on an episode of A Different World . Singer Will Downing also covered the song from his 1995 ___MASK74___ , Moods . The song has been sampled several times over the years : Foxy Brown - `` Memory Lane '' , from her unreleased Ill Na Na 2 : The Fever ( 2003 ) Lloyd Banks featuring Avant - `` Karma '' , from Hunger For More ( 2004 ) Destiny ' s Child - `` If '' , from Destiny Fulfilled ( 2004 ) CYNE - `` Maintain '' , from Running Water EP ( 2005 ) Fiva - `` Will Wollen '' , from Rotwild ( 2009 ) Carrie Marie Underwood ( born March 10 , 1983 ) is an American singer , songwriter , and actress . She rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of " American Idol " in 2005 and has since become one of the most successful artists in any musical genre . Her achievements led her to be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2008 and into the Oklahoma ___MASK27___ of Fame in 2009 . She has earned numerous accolades , including seven Grammy Awards , 17 " Billboard " Music Awards , 12 Academy of ___MASK48___ Awards , 11 American Music Awards , and a Guinness ___MASK8___ . Natalie Maria Cole ( February 6 , 1950  December 31 , 2015 ) was an American singer , songwriter , and actress . The daughter of Nat King Cole , she rose to musical success in the mid - 1970s as an R & B artist with the hits " This Will Be ", " Inseparable " ( 1975 ), and " Our Love " ( 1977 ). After a period of failing sales and performances due to a heavy drug addiction , Cole re - emerged as a ___MASK73___ artist with the 1987 album " Everlasting " and her cover of Bruce Springsteen ' s " Pink Cadillac ". In the 1990s , she re - recorded standards by her father , resulting in her biggest success , " Unforgettable ... with Love ", which sold over seven million copies and also won Cole seven Grammy Awards . She sold over 30 million records worldwide . Wilfred " Will " Downing ( born November 29 , 1963 , Brooklyn , New York ) is an American singer and songwriter . He is married to singer Audrey Wheeler , who was a member of the R & B group Unlimited Touch . Taylor Reuben Hicks ( born October 7 , 1976 ) is an American singer who won the fifth season of " American Idol ". Hicks got his start as a professional musician in his late teens and performed around the Southeastern United States for well over the span of a decade , during which he also released two independent albums . Upon winning " Idol ", he was signed to ___MASK72___ , under which his self - titled major ___MASK61___ debut was released on December 12 , 2006 . Charnele Ann Brown ( née Dozier ; October 30 , 1960 ) is an American actress , producer , and singer . She is perhaps best known for her role as Kimberly Reese on NBC comedy sitcom " A Different World " ( 1988  93 ). Jordin Brianna Sparks ( born December 22 , 1989 ) is an American singer , songwriter , and actress . She rose to fame in 2007 after winning the sixth season of " American Idol "; at age 16 , she became the youngest winner in the series ' history . Her self - titled debut ___MASK71___ , released later that year , was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) and has sold over two million copies worldwide . The ___MASK74___ spawned the " Billboard " Hot 100 top - ten singles " Tattoo " and " No Air "; the latter , a collaboration with Chris Brown , is currently the third highest - selling single by any " American Idol " contestant , selling over three million ___MASK86___ copies in the United States . The song earned Sparks her first Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals . Brooklyn is the most populous borough of New York City , with a Census - estimated 2 , 636 , 735 residents in 2015 . It borders the borough of Queens at the southwestern end of Long ___MASK100___ . Since 1896 , Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County , the most populous county in the U . S . state of New York , and the second - most densely populated county in the United States , after the county of New York ( which is coextensive with the borough of Manhattan ). Unlimited Touch was an American , New York - based post - disco group , who had some regional fame in the early 1980s . The group consisted of Audrey Wheeler ( lead singer ), Phil Hamilton , Tony Cintron , Sandy Anderson , Stephanie James and Lenny Underwood . Raymond Reid and William Anderson from New York - based band Crown Heights Affair instigated Unlimited Touch in the early 1980s , but they were not part of the band . The group was signed to ___MASK44___ ( via ___MASK76___ in the UK ). Charles Richards was the executive producer of the group , and on the album , it was noted that " without him none of it would have been possible ". A Grammy Award ( originally called Gramophone Award ), or Grammy , is an honor awarded by The Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the mainly ___MASK96___ - language music industry . The annual presentation ceremony features performances by prominent artists , and the presentation of those awards that have a more popular interest . It shares recognition of the music industry as that of the other performance awards such as the Emmy Awards ( television ), the Tony Awards ( stage performance ), and the Academy Awards ( motion pictures ).