Kris Allen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kris Allen
Allen in 2009
Background information
Birth name	Kristopher Neil Allen
Born	(1985-06-21) June 21, 1985 (age 40) Jacksonville, Arkansas, U.S.
Origin	Conway, Arkansas, U.S.
Genres	Pop rock alternative rock acoustic rock blue-eyed soul
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Jive RCA 19 DogBear

Kristopher Neil Allen (born June 21, 1985) is an American singer and songwriter. He is best known for winning the eighth season of the TV show American Idol.

Before American Idol, Kris released his own album called Brand New Shoes in 2007. After winning Idol, his songs "No Boundaries" and "Heartless" became very popular. His first major album, Kris Allen, came out in 2009. It quickly reached number 11 on the U.S. music charts. His song "Live Like We're Dying" sold over 1.7 million copies! Kris has continued to release music, including his fifth album, Letting You In, in 2016.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Kris Allen was born in Jacksonville, Arkansas, to Kimberly and Neil Allen. He has a younger brother named Daniel. Kris loved music from a very young age. He started playing the viola in elementary school and even played in the Arkansas all-state orchestra.

When he was 13, he taught himself to play the guitar. He also plays the piano. Kris has said that bands like the Beatles and artists like Michael Jackson inspired his music. He performed publicly for several years before trying out for American Idol. He thought of the audition as a "last chance" to make music his career.

After high school, Kris went to the University of Central Arkansas. He studied business and was part of a Christian ministry group. Through this group, he did missionary work in many countries, including Morocco, Mozambique, and Thailand. Kris even left his new guitar in a church in Thailand to help others. This experience inspired his song "Land of Smiles."

He decided to leave college early to focus on music. He played in local bars and worked as a shoe salesman to earn money. Kris planned to go back to college, but his brother and a friend convinced him to audition for American Idol.

Journey on American Idol

Kris Allen tried out for the eighth season of American Idol in Louisville, Kentucky. His brother Daniel also auditioned but didn't make it to Hollywood. At first, Kris didn't get much screen time on the show. Only a few seconds of his first audition were shown.

Memorable Performances

Throughout the competition, Kris was praised for his unique, folk-inspired versions of popular songs. He often played instruments during his performances, including the acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboard, and piano. When he sang "To Make You Feel My Love," judge Simon Cowell said he thought Kris had a real chance to do well.

In the finals, Kris played his own version of "Ain't No Sunshine" on the keyboard. Simon Cowell called it his "best performance so far." Later, he sang "Falling Slowly" and received gifts from the original artists. He also impressed the judges with his acoustic version of Kanye West's "Heartless." This performance helped him reach the finals and eventually win!

After making it to the Top 3, Kris returned to Arkansas for a huge homecoming parade. More than 20,000 people came to see him! He performed concerts in Little Rock and Conway, Arkansas, playing many of his popular songs from the show.

Winning American Idol

During the final show, Kris performed "Ain't No Sunshine," "What's Going On," and his winning song, "No Boundaries." He also sang with famous artist Keith Urban and even with Brian May and Roger Taylor from the band Queen.

On May 20, 2009, Kris Allen was announced as the winner of American Idol season eight. He was the first married contestant to win the title. Almost 100 million votes were cast in the finale, setting a new world record! Many people were surprised by his win because the runner-up, Adam Lambert, was very popular. However, the show confirmed that Kris was the rightful winner.

After winning, five of Kris's songs appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. His winning song, "No Boundaries," became number one on the iTunes singles chart. Kris also signed a record deal with Jive Records.

Music After Idol

First Album: Kris Allen

For his first album, Kris worked with many talented people, including Jon Foreman from Switchfoot and Joe King from The Fray. His first single, "Live Like We're Dying", was released in September 2009. The music video for the song came out in November. This song became very successful, selling over 1.7 million copies!

His album, Kris Allen, was released in November 2009. Kris wrote or co-wrote 9 of the 12 songs on the album. It sold over 80,000 copies in its first week and reached number 11 on the Billboard 200 chart.

In February 2010, Kris traveled to Haiti to help with disaster relief after a big earthquake. He returned to the American Idol stage to share his experiences and perform "Let It Be." This performance was sold as a charity song on iTunes, raising over $250,000 for Haiti.

The second song from his album was "The Truth," which he sang with Patrick Monahan from the band Train. Kris went on his first solo tour in 2010. He also opened for popular bands like Barenaked Ladies, Maroon 5, and Lifehouse.

Later Albums and Tours

In 2011, Kris's record label, Jive Records, closed down. He then released his music through RCA Records. In 2012, he released his second album, Thank You Camellia. The main song from this album was "The Vision of Love." Kris even tried out for a role in the movie Rock of Ages, but he didn't feel confident in his acting skills.

In December 2012, Kris released a Christmas album called Waiting for Christmas. He also debuted a new song, "Where Are You Amy?", dedicated to those affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

From January to May 2013, Kris went on his second solo tour called Out Alive. In 2014, he recorded his third album, Horizons. The song "Prove It to You" was the first single. Horizons reached number 80 on the Billboard 200 chart. Kris toured the U.S. and Canada with the group Boyce Avenue. Some of his songs from Horizons were even used in TV shows like Arrow and The Vampire Diaries.

In 2016, Kris released his fifth album, Letting You In. He also released a Christmas album called Somethin' About Christmas. In 2017, he formed a new band called The Dames, and they released their first song, "The Death of Mr. Jones." In 2018, Kris joined the American Idol Live! Tour as a special guest. In 2019, he released 10, an album with new versions of his older songs, celebrating ten years since his American Idol win. In 2021, he toured Europe with fellow Idol winner David Cook.

Helping Others Through Music

Before American Idol, Kris did a lot of missionary work around the world. In Morocco, he got very sick, but he says this experience helped him write his first original song. In Thailand, he was so moved by a church's poor music equipment that he left his own guitar for them.

Kris strongly believes that music education is important for all kids. He works with groups like the Music Empowers Foundation and Little Kids Rock to support music programs in schools. He says that if he hadn't had music programs in school, he wouldn't be where he is today. In 2010, Little Kids Rock honored him for his support.

Kris also supports TOMS Shoes, a company that gives shoes to children in need. He went to Rwanda with TOMS to help deliver shoes. In 2010, he traveled to Haiti to help after the earthquake. His performance of "Let It Be" on American Idol raised over $250,000 for Haiti relief.

Kris's fans are also very generous! For his 25th birthday, they donated over $25,000 to Heifer International to help families in need. They also donated to music education programs and disaster relief efforts. In 2012, Kris visited World Vision's project in Kenya.

Personal Life

Kris Allen married his high school sweetheart, Katy O'Connell, on September 26, 2008. They started dating when Kris was in high school. They have three children: a son born in 2013, a daughter born in 2016, and another son born in 2019.

His Band Members

Music Albums

• Brand New Shoes (2007)
• Kris Allen (2009)
• Thank You Camellia (2012)
• Horizons (2014)
• Letting You In (2016)
• Somethin' About Christmas (2016)
• Pole Vaulter (2024)

Other Music Projects

The Dames (a band Kris formed) Current members

• Kris Allen
• Cale Mills
• Chris Torres
• Jordan Wright

Songs Released

• "The Death of Mr. Jones" (May 20, 2017)
• "Alright Now" (June 9, 2017)
• "Don't Mess Around on Me" (June 30, 2017)
• "All That I Want Is You" (July 28, 2017)

Awards He Won

See also

In Spanish: Kris Allen para niños