#79 Mikalah Gordon

Next on my American Idol finalist countdown is my number 79 American Idol finalist Mikalah Gordon. She got eleventh place on American Idol season 4. Her favorite male recording artist is Michael Jackson. Her favorite recording female artist is Alicia Keys.

Mikalah Analise Gordon was born to Rocky Gordon (who is Italian and Jewish) and Victora Cavaricci (who is Italian-American) on January 14, 1988, in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was raised in a Catholic household and attended St. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic School from third to eighth grade. During her childhood, Gordon regularly performed on stage with her father, a jazz musician who mentored his daughter, attempting to improve her versatility. Before her stint on American Idol, she was with the Helen Joy Young Entertainers, performed at the White House and worked at an oxygen bar.

Gordon auditioned for American Idol season 4 in her birth town Las Vegas, Nevada, with "Lullaby of Broadway" by Ella Fitzgerald and "Killing Me Softly with His Song", which was originally recorded by Lori Lieberman and later covered by Roberta Flack, then Luther Vandross, and then Lauryn Hill. During the Hollywood Rounds, she performed "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" by Dusty Springfield.

During top 24 week, Gordon performed "Young Hearts Run Free" by Candi Staton. During top 20 week, she performed "God Bless the Child" by Billie Holiday. During top 16 week, she performed "Somewhere" by the cast of West Side Story. During top 12 week, she performed "Son of a Preacher Man" by Dusty Springfield. She was in the bottom 3 with Jessica Sierra and Lindsey Cardinale who got eliminated that week. She was eliminated from American Idol on top 11 week, which was Billboard #1s week. This was also the week when the show mixed up the voting numbers for three of the Top 11 contestants Anwar Robinson, Jessica Sierra, and Gordon herself. Her last performance on American Idol season 4 was a rendition of "Love Will Lead You Back" by Taylor Dayne. That song also got Karen Rodriguez booted on American Idol season 10.