Paris Bennett Biography:
Born on August 21, 1988 in Rockford, Illinois, Paris Giselle Bennett has been singing since she was four years old. She grew up with her three younger brothers and received musical training from her mother, Jamecia Bennett, the former soprano vocalist of Sound of Blackness, and grandmother, Ann Nesby, who is a famous R&B and Gospel Singer. Paris was supposed to study gynaecology after graduating from Starr's Mill High School and had no plans of following in her family's footsteps, but her grandfather encouraged her to try out for season 5 of American Idol. Paris enjoys listening to the music of Gladys Knight, Etta James, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday and Aretha Franklin.
Paris went to Greensboro to audition for season 5 of American Idol, and her renditions of the Dixie Chicks' "Cowboy Take Me Away" and Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" earned her very high praises from all the judges. She advanced to Hollywood and the semifinals, where she sang Gladys Knight & The Pips' "Midnight Train to Georgia," and Bette Midler's "Wind Beneath My Wings" again received good reviews from the judges, although she was advised to keep from singing mature songs. Her satisfactory performance for the dance song "Conga" placed her in the Top 12. During the Finals, Paris belted out a variety of songs, which included "How Do I Live," "Work It Out," " The Show Must Go On," "The Way We Were," "Kiss, and " Be Without You." Nevertheless, despite receiving hardly any negative feedback from the judges, Paris was sent to the bottom two on the eighth week, and consequently became the eight finalist to be eliminated.
Since her stint on American Idol, Paris has gone on to appear in numerous television shows such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Total Request Live, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Entertainment Tonight, Live With Regis and Kelly, On Air With Ryan Seacrest and the Today Show. She also sang "The Tigers" with John Debney, which can be heard from the soundtrack of the movie Everyone's Hero. She is currently working with 306 Entertainment, a recording company owned by her uncle, for her first album entitled Princess P.