Katharine Hope McPhee is an American singer and finalist in the fifth season of American Idol.
McPhee has been singing since the age of two. Her mother, Peisha McPhee, a vocal coach and accomplished cabaret singer, recognized a talent for music in her daughter and started training her. Her father, Daniel McPhee, is a producer who has worked on numerous television series and other projects. McPhee graduated in the class of 2002 from Notre Dame High School after which she attended The Boston Conservatory for three semesters and majored in musical theater. At the Cabrillo Music Theater in Thousand Oaks, California, she performed the title role in a musical theatre production of Annie Get Your Gun. In June 2005 she played Anna Muir in The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, a musical by Scott DeTurk and Bill Francoeur, based on the book by R.A. Dick, at NoHo Arts Center in North Hollywood, California.
During her initial audition for American Idol in San Francisco, she sang "God Bless the Child." Judge Randy Jackson said she was the best voice he had heard so far that season, judge Paula Abdul praised her looks, and judge Simon Cowell said she was amazing and "current." However, McPhee's mother had gone with her to the audition, and Cowell made a comment about the possibility that the elder McPhee was a stage mother.
In the final cut-down show for the Top 24, McPhee was the first to be put through and, in excitement, kissed all three judges on the lips. She cried both when she passed her initial audition and when she made it into the Top 24.
In the first round of the semi-finals, she sang Barbra Streisand's "Since I Fell for You," again earning high praises as Cowell said that out of the four "very, very good vocalists" of the night, she was the best.
During the week leading to the third round of the semi-finals, where McPhee sang Aretha Franklin's "Think," she was rumored to be quitting due to pregnancy. However, during the performance show on March 7, 2006, she denied this accusation, later attributing it to a poor choice of clothing. Host Ryan Seacrest, with tongue-in-cheek, asked about her and fellow Idol contestant Kevin Covais.
On the March 29, 2006 results show, McPhee was in the bottom three with fellow contestants Ace Young and Lisa Tucker. She ended up in the bottom two with Tucker, but was not eliminated.
On the April 26, 2006 results show, McPhee placed as one of the Top 2 contestants receiving the most votes the night before along with fellow contestant Chris Daughtry.
On the May 3, 2006 results show, McPhee was not in the bottom 2, but after Paris Bennett left, she was the last female to remain in the competition.
On the May 10, 2006 results show, McPhee was in the bottom 2 along with Chris Daughtry, but was not eliminated. She made the Top 3 along with Elliott Yamin and Taylor Hicks.
On the May 17, 2006 results show, McPhee made the Top 2 along with Taylor Hicks after the elimination of Elliott Yamin in a very close competition. None of the three constestants received more than 34% of the 50+ million votes, according to the show host Ryan Seacrest.
McPhee visited her former high school for her hometown celebration. [4]
McPhee's run on American Idol led to the coinage of "McPheever," a portmanteau of "McPhee" and "fever," and "McPhan," a portmanteau of "McPhee" and "fan," both of which indicate enthusiasm for this contestant. Ralph Garman of Los Angeles' morning show Kevin and Bean (106.7 KROQ) originally coined the phrase "McPheever," a fact that McPhee has verified.
On May 17th, 2006, Katharine made it into the top 2 with either 33.26% or 33.68% of the vote, along with Taylor Hicks.
