American Idol Season 11’s Hollywood theater of torture is upon us. It starts on Thursday February 8th. The American Idol judges will narrow the Hollywood field down to 40 for a trip to Las Vegas.  American Idol Season 11 will then announce the Top 24 semi-finalists after Las Vegas. We then begin voting on live performances on March 1.

We will research the American Idol Season 11 hopefuls to find those who profess their faith in Christ, and then we will follow their progress, with you, throughout American Idol Season 11. As we head into Hollywood week, keep your eyes open for these Christian musicians we have found so far.

American Idol Season 10 Christian Performers

Aaron Marcellus Sanders

We don’t know much about Aaron Sanders but we do know he is a member of Aaron Marcellus and The Will Band, a soul, pop group featured on Bonnafide Radio.  The Atlanta, Georgia native made it to Hollywood in American Idol Season 10.  Aaron Sanders auditioned in Pittsburgh.

Adam Brock

Christian musician Adam Brock sings jazz musician and is the featured vocalist for the Trinity Jazz Orchestra.  The Pittsburgh native lists Stevie Wonder, Carole King, Staple Singers, Kim Burrell, Clark Sisters, Vickie Winans, Kurt Elling, Adele and Beyonce as influences. As you might expect Adam Brock auditioned in Pittsburgh as well.

Baylie Brown

Christian musician Baylie Brown made it to Hollywood in Season 6 as a 16 year-old girl from a small town who craved the big city.  Since then this Krum, Texas native moved to Nashville was signed by Universal South music and has pursued a career as a professional country singer.  Baylie Brown reemerged as an experienced, adult musician in the Houston auditions.

Chelsea Sorrell

Christian musician Chelsea Sorrell is a veteran from American Idol Season 10 where she made it through Hollywood to Las Vegas.  This North Carolina native auditioned in Savannah and is the lead singer for The Chris Land Band, a local North Carolina band who regularly opens for touring country artists such as Sara Evans and Darius Rucker.

Chase Likens

Christian musician Chase Likens makes a return trip to  American Idol Season 11‘s Hollywood round after the  disappointment of being a Hollywood casualty in American Idol Season 10.  The West Virginia native is a Nashville recording artist who auditioned in Pittsburgh.  Chase Likens is a member of Point Peasant, WV group Youth in Gospel .

Eben Franckewitz

What do you get when you combine a 15 year-old Justin Bieber look alike with a smooth, nuanced singing voice? Well, you get Christian musician Eben Frankewitz, a contestant who makes American Idol producers giddy and will cause quite a buzz among American Idol’s tween demographic.   The Milford, Ohio native traveled to Pittsburgh with his family and proceeded to blow the judges away with his version of “Ain’t No Sunshine”.  If Eben Frankewitz makes it to the live voting, America’s tween girls will carry him far into the competition.

Hallie Day

Christian musician Hallie Day had a long tortuous journey to her Pittsburgh audition.  At 15 she dropped out of high school and moved to New York to head-up an all girl rock group Plum Crazy.  The story goes, as many have, until she hit bottom with a very real suicide attempt.  Today Hallie Day is a 24 year-old newlywed who is a worship song leader at Baltimore’s Second Presbyterian Church.

Jeremy Rosado

Christian musician Jeremy Rosado auditioned in Savannah.  The Valrico, Florida native has auditioned for American Idol five times and finally made it to Hollywood.  A member of Elite Youth Productions, Jeremy Rosado lists himself as a Gospel/Soul artist.  We did not see his audition but be sure to watch for him during Hollywood week.

Michael Colton Dixon

It seems the American Idol judges are trying right what was probably their biggest mistake from Season 10.  Christian musician Colton Dixon was one of the last contestants eliminated before American Idol Season 10 went to live voting and it was a huge mistake.  The good looking young singer was probably a better musician than any of the Top 12 boys and is an effortless singer.  Colton Dixon did not even sign up to audition for American Idol Season 11 but was supporting his sister, Schyler, in her Savannah audition when the judges pulled him into the room, asked him to sing and gave him a ticket to Hollywood.  Let’s see if the judges make the right decision in American Idol Season 11 and give us a chance to vote for Colton Dixon.

So it is time for the American Idol Season 11 journey to begin for One21music.  Join us as we cover these Christian musicians on their journey.  We will recap the Hollywood episodes each week at this time and then, when American Idol Season 11 goes live with the Top 24 performances we will begin live blogging the performances and providing real time reporting of the results.  We know these are not the only Christian musicians in Hollywood.  If you know Christian musicians who have made it to Hollywood in American Idol Season 11, please drop us a comment and we will add them to the list.

Ok, so this video is kind of sad-ish. “Carry You” comes off of one of Rebecca’s top 10 picks for 2011 by Close Your Eyes.

Check out a song from on of our “Essential Pop Albums of 2011″! This is “Make A Noise” by Katie Herzig.

Here is the latest video from one of our all-time favorite bands, The Violet Burning with their song “Mon Désir”

Check out this video off of the Kingdom Kulture compilation called “Beautiful Eulogy” featuring Braille, Theory Hazit, Odd Thomas, Lee Green, and Xperiment.

The talent level in that room is out of control.

It is easier to show you Levi The Poet than just talk about him. Watch this:

Levi has been around for a few years now just being as real as a dude can be in front of people. I have had the honor of watching him do his thing a few times now, and every time I can attest that no matter if there three or thirty people in the room, we hang on every word. Monolouges is the next chapter of a man, flawed but forgiven, trying to deal world around him and comunicate it in the most raw and real way he can.

If that video above doesnt break your heart at least a little, you may need to get your heart checked…..

Download Monolouges by Levi The Poet

The Diary Of Juanita Bynum II
Juanita Bynum
Music World Gospel
Gospel
Buy: Amazon

The Kingdom
Starfield
Indpendent
Pop Rock
Buy:Amazon

Love & War & The Sea In Between

Propaganda & Odd Thomas-Art Ambidextrous
Dolly Parton-Better Day
Gungor-Ghosts Upon The Earth
MUTEMATH- Odd Soul
Over The Rhine-The Long Surrender
Preson Phillips-Wrath
Aaron Strumpel-Birds
John Mark McMillian- Economy
The Civil Wars-Barton Hollow
Playdough-Hotdoggin
Son Lux- We Are Rising
Life In Your Way-Kingdoms
The City Harmonic-I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home)
Hands-Give Me Rest
NEEDTOBREATHE-The Reckoning
O’Brother-Garden Window
Not One Is Upright-God Is Not A Watchmaker And The World Is Not Ticking
Mat Kearney- Young Love
Oh Sleeper-Children Of Fire

With way too much delay, we present to you our celebration of 2011 in music. Feel free to comment and tell us what you think.

Ian’s 10 Essential Albums Of 2011

1.Josh Garrels-Love & War & The Sea In Between
2.Propaganda & Odd Thomas-Art Ambidextrous
3.The Civil Wars-Barton Hollow
4.Son Lux- We Are Rising
5.Life In Your Way-Kingdoms
6.Hands-Give Me Rest
7.NEEDTOBREATHE-The Reckoning
8.O’Brother-Garden Window
9.Not One Is Upright-God Is Not A Watchmaker And The World Is Not Ticking
10.Oh Sleeper-Children Of Fire

Chuck’s 10 Essential Albums Of 2011

1.Josh Garrels-Love & War & The Sea In Between
2.The Civil Wars-Barton Hollow
3.Dolly Parton-Better Day
4.Gungor-Ghosts Upon The Earth
5.MUTEMATH- Odd Soul
6.Over The Rhine-The Long Surrender
7.Preson Phillips-Wrath
8.Aaron Strumpel-Birds
9.Son Lux- We Are Rising
10.Lauryn Peacock-Keep It Simple: Let the Sun Come Out

Rebecca’s 10 Essential Albums Of 2011

1.My Epic-Broken Voice EP
2.Close Your Eyes-Empty Hands And Heavy Hearts
3.Sleeping Giant-Kingdom Days In An Evil Age
4.The Brigade-Warnings
5.The Wealthy West-The Wealthy West EP
6.The Civil Wars-Barton Hollow
7.Josh Garrels-Love & War & The Sea In Between
8.Twenty|One|Pilots- Regional At Best
9.Hands-Give Me Rest
10.Switchfoot-Vice Verses

Debbie’s 10 Essential Albums Of 2011

1.Josh Garrels-Love & War & The Sea In Between
2.Dolly Parton-Better Day
3.Gungor-Ghosts Upon The Earth
4.Leigh Nash- Hymns & Sacred Songs
5.Caedmon’s Call-Raising Up The Dead
6.tobyMac-Christmas In Diverse City
7.The Civil Wars-Barton Hollow
8.Preson Phillips-Wrath
9.Shaun Groves-Third World Symphony
10.The City Harmonic-I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home)