When American Idol had its original run on Fox between 2002 and 2016, many great singers auditioned for the show in the hopes of becoming the next Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, or Fantasia. Even though many hopefuls auditioned for the show, only a select few actually made it far into the show. Of those who didn't make it, some have become successful without the show, like Jimmie Allen, for example. Jimmie went on to have a major singing career despite having a short stint on Idol. Here is what the country music star has been up to since appearing on season 10 of the show.
When American Idol season 10 premiered in January of 2011, a 25-year-old Jimmie Allen got to audition for the judges. Jimmie did impress the judges during his audition and earned his golden ticket to Hollywood. Unfortunately, however, his time in the competition ended right after his shot at Hollywood Week. Alas, that didn't stop him from pursuing his dreams. When speaking about his elimination years later, Jimmie said: "Someone telling us ‘No’ doesn’t stop our dream…we stop our dream. Never stop fighting, never stop dreaming. Believe in yourself, you can rise from the ashes."
After not getting the big break he had pictures going into American Idol, Jimmie Allen still went on to sign a publishing deal with Wide Open Music in 2016. He then signed with Broken Bow Records Stony Creek imprint and released his self-titled debut EP in 2017. After releasing the EP, his song "Blue Jean Baby" was added to United States Viral 50 chart on Spotify. Over the years, Jimmie also married nurse Alexis Gale, and the pair share two children together, with a third one on the way. Jimmie also has a son from a previous relationship.
It seems that Jimmie Allen has come full circle when he was invited back to Idol this past season to sing an All-Star duet with two contestants. He sang "Shallow" with 19-year-old Alanis Sophia, as well as "Freedom Was A Highway" with 20-year old Cecil Ray. Through these performances, he was able to show the judges and the world what he has been up to since competing on the show.
Even though Jimmie didn't win his season of American Idol, it sure seems like he made a name for himself without the help of the show. That just goes to show many other former and upcoming contestants that while the show does help out in some areas, you don't need to win to boost your career. In Jimmie Allen's case, he didn't need the show to become famous after all.