"AMERICAN IDOL" REVEALS MORE SEMI-FINALISTS; AND A DRAMATIC TWIST

AMERICA, GET READY TO VOTE!

AMERICAN IDOL Goes LIVE Next Week When Top 13 Guys Compete Tuesday, February 28; Top 12 Girls Compete Wednesday, February 29; Finalists Announced Thursday, March 1, on FOX

Next Week After Performance Shows Tuesday, February 28 and Wednesday, February 29 Voting Begins Via Toll-Free Phone Lines, AT&T Text Messaging & Online at www.americanidol.com

The AMERICAN IDOL auditions came to a spectacular conclusion tonight as the judges' remaining picks for the semi-finalists were revealed. Jennifer, Randy and Steven have chosen their top contestants and will turn the power over to America when the LIVE shows and voting begin next week.

Also in a dramatic twist, it was announced that one of these four contestants - Jermaine Jones, Johnny Keyser, Richie Law and David Leathers - will get a second chance and join the male semi-finalists next week on a special night, Tuesday, Feb. 28 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/tape-delayed). The male semi-finalists - DeAndre Brackensick, Adam Brock, Colton Dixon, Creighton Fraker, Eben Franckewitz, Reed Grimm, Heejun Han, Joshua Ledet, Chase Likens, Aaron Marcellus, Phil Phillips and Jeremy Rosado, plus one more lucky contestant - will perform LIVE for the first time on AMERICAN IDOL.

On Wednesday, Feb. 29 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/tape-delayed), the female semi-finalists - Baylie Brown, Hollie Cavanagh, Hallie Day, Jennifer Hirsh, Haley Johnsen, Skylar Laine, Shannon Magrane, Jessica Sanchez, Chelsea Sorrell, Elise Testone, Erika Van Pelt and Brielle Von Hugel - will perform LIVE for the first time on AMERICAN IDOL.

Then, tune in to see who America picks to become a finalist on the season's first LIVE results show Thursday, March 1 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX.

Top 13 male semi-finalists scheduled to perform Tuesday, Feb. 28 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live /PT tape-delayed) include:

DeAndre Brackensick
Hometown: San Jose, CA
Age: 17
Meet Deandre Brackensick video
Keep up with Deandre at:
www.twitter.com/BrackensickAI11
www.facebook.com/BrackensickAI11

Adam Brock
Hometown: Washington, PA
Age: 27
Meet Adam Brock video
Keep up with Adam at:
www.twitter.com/ABrockAI11
www.facebook.com/ABrockAI11

Colton Dixon
Hometown: Murfreesboro, TN
Age: 20
Meet Colton Dixon video
Keep up with Colton at:
www.twitter.com/CDixonAI11
www.facebook.com/CDixonAI11

Creighton Fraker
Hometown: Queens, NY
Age: 28
Meet Creighton Fraker video
Keep up with Creighton at:
www.twitter.com/CFrakerAI11
www.facebook.com/CFrakerAI11

Eben Franckewitz
Hometown: Loveland, OH
Age: 15
Meet Eben Franckewitz video
Keep up with Eben at:
www.twitter.com/FranckewitzAI11
www.facebook.com/FranckewitzAI11

Reed Grimm
Hometown: Ellsworth, WI
Age: 26
Meet Reed Grimm video
Keep up with Reed at:
www.twitter.com/RGrimmAI11
www.facebook.com/RGrimmAI11

Heejun Han
Hometown: Flushing, NY
Age: 22
Meet Heejun Han video
Keep up with Heejun at:
www.twitter.com/HHanAI11
www.facebook.com/HHanAI11

Joshua Ledet
Hometown: Westlake, LA
Age: 19
Meet Joshua Ledet video
Keep up with Joshua at:
www.twitter.com/JLedetAI11
www.facebook.com/JLedetAI11

Chase Likens
Hometown: Point Pleasant, WV
Age: 21
Meet Chase Likens video
Keep up with Chase at:
www.twitter.com/CLikensAI11
www.facebook.com/CLikensAI11

Aaron Marcellus
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Age: 27
Meet Aaron Marcellus video
Keep up with Aaron at:
www.twitter.com/AMarcellusAI11
www.facebook.com/AMarcellusAI11

Phil Phillips
Hometown: Leesburg, GA
Age: 21
Meet Phil Phillips video
Keep up with Phillip at:
www.twitter.com/PPhillipsAI11
www.facebook.com/PPhillipsAI11

Jeremy Rosado
Hometown: Valrico, FL
Age: 19
Meet Jeremy Rosado video
Keep up with Jeremy at:
www.twitter.com/JRosadoAI11
www.facebook.com/JRosadoAI11

One of these contestants - Jermaine Jones, Johnny Keyser, Richie Law or David Leathers - will join the male semi-finalists.

Top 12 female semi-finalists scheduled to perform Wednesday, Feb. 29 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live /PT tape-delayed) include:

Baylie Brown
Hometown: Krum, TX
Age: 22
Meet Baylie Brown video
Keep up with Baylie at:
www.twitter.com/BBrownAI11
www.facebook.com/BBrownAI11

Hollie Cavanagh
Hometown: McKinney, TX
Age: 18
Meet Hollie Cavanagh video
Keep up with Hollie at:
www.twitter.com/CavanaghAI11
www.facebook.com/CavanaghAI11

Hallie Day
Hometown: Baltimore, MD
Age: 24
Meet Hallie Day video
Keep up with Hallie at:
www.twitter.com/HDayAI11
www.facebook.com/HDayAI11

Jennifer Hirsh
Hometown: Agoura Hills, CA
Age: 25
Meet Jennifer Hirsh video
Keep up with Jen at:
www.twitter.com/JHirshAI11
www.facebook.com/JHirshAI11

Haley Johnsen
Hometown: Beaverton, OR
Age: 23
Meet Haley Johnsen video
Keep up with Haley at:
www.twitter.com/HJohnsenAI11
www.facebook.com/HJohnsenAI11

Skylar Laine
Hometown: Brandon, MS
Age: 18
Meet Skylar Laine video
Keep up with Skylar at:
www.twitter.com/SLaineAI11
www.facebook.com/SLaineAI11

Shannon Magrane
Hometown: Tampa, FL
Age: 16
Meet Shannon Magrane video
Keep up with Shannon at:
www.twitter.com/SMagraneAI11
www.facebook.com/SMagraneAI11

Jessica Sanchez
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Age: 16
Meet Jessica Sanchez video
Keep up with Jessica at:
www.twitter.com/JSanchezAI11
www.facebook.com/JSanchezAI11

Chelsea Sorrell
Hometown: Stokesdale, NC
Age: 23
Meet Chelsea Sorrell video
Keep up with Chelsea at:
www.twitter.com/CSorrellAI11
www.facebook.com/CSorrellAI11

Elise Testone
Hometown: Charleston, SC
Age: 28
Meet Elise Testone video
Keep up with Elise at:
www.twitter.com/ETestoneAI11
www.facebook.com/ETestoneAI11

Erika Van Pelt
Hometown: South Kingstown, RI
Age: 26
Meet Erika Van Pelt video
Keep up with Erika at:
www.twitter.com/EVanPeltAI11
www.facebook.com/EVanPeltAI11

Brielle Von Hugel
Hometown: Staten Island, NY
Age: 17
Meet Brielle Von Hugel video
Keep up with Brielle at:
www.twitter.com/BVonHugelAI11
www.facebook.com/BVonHugelAI11

At the end of each performance show, the phone lines will open for at least two hours and AMERICAN IDOL viewers will be able to vote for their favorite contestant(s) via the branded toll-free telephone numbers (1-866-IDOLS-01, -02, etc.). AT&T wireless subscribers can use their cell phones to vote by texting the word "VOTE" to the four-digit short code (5701, 5702, etc.) that corresponds with the contestant of their choice. Additionally, fans will be able to cast their votes online at www.americanidol.com.

To vote online during the voting window, fans should visit www.americanidol.com and follow the directions. Fans will be required to log in using their Facebook account to access the AMERICAN IDOL voting page, which will feature the name and photo of each of the current contestants. To vote, fans will simply choose their favorite contestant, complete the security verification and submit their choice. After each performance show and during the online voting window, fans may cast up to 50 total online votes for that evening's performances. Only fans with a registered Facebook account in the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands will be able to cast their vote(s) online.

Visit www.americanidol.com for all of your AMERICAN IDOL news.

Become a fan of AMERICAN IDOL on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/AmericanIdol. Follow the series on Twitter @AmericanIdol and join the discussion at #Idol. Also, follow host Ryan Seacrest at @RyanSeacrest, and follow the judges: @yo_randyjackson; @JLo; and @iamstevent.

AMERICAN IDOL is produced by 19 Entertainment, a division of CKX, Inc. and FremantleMedia North America, Inc. The series is created and executive-produced by Simon Fuller, CEO, XIX Entertainment, and executive-produced by Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO, FremantleMedia North America, Inc.; Ken Warwick, Executive Producer, FremantleMedia North America, Inc.; and Nigel Lythgoe, CEO, Nigel Lythgoe Productions. AMERICAN IDOL has been No. 1 among Adults 18-49 for the past eight consecutive seasons.