Earl "EJay" Day (born September 13, 1981) is an American singer and was one of the ten finalists during the first season of American Idol. Day was actually a last-minute replacement in the Idol semifinals for Delano Cagnolati, who was discovered to have lied to escape the show's age cutoff. After being voted through to the final ten, Day was then the first contestant to be voted off.

Day was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia. After his brief appearance on Idol, he was a featured performer in the 2002 U.S. American Idol concert tour alongside the other finalists. Day has also performed numerous times for Muhammad Ali, who asked him to sing at his book-signing event and other receptions held in his honor. He also performed in the 2003 Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena, California. As a child, Day sang in the church choir and did several performances singing the National Anthem for professional Georgia sports teams.

Day helped write the song "Pure Love" for actress and R&B/pop/hip-hop singer Raven-Symoné's second album, Undeniable.

Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years. The youngest child of the Jackson family, she began her career with the variety television series The Jacksons in 1976 and went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, including Good Times and Fame.

After signing a recording contract with A&M in 1982, she came to prominence following the release of her third studio album Control (1986). Her collaborations with record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis incorporated elements of rhythm and blues, funk, disco, rap, and industrial beats, which led to crossover appeal in popular music. In addition to receiving recognition for the innovation in her records, choreography, music videos, and prominence on radio airplay and MTV, she was acknowledged as a role model for her socially conscious lyrics.

James Conrad "Jim" Verraros (born February 8, 1983) is an American singer/entertainer and native of Crystal Lake, Illinois who is most notable for being one of the top 10 finalists in the first season of American Idol. Because he was raised by deaf parents, he is fluent in American Sign Language.

Verraros quickly became a celebrity in the American gay press because of a controversy that erupted when it was reported that Fox Broadcasting Company made him remove his online journal that included discussion of his homosexuality in the summer of 2002. However, Jim Verraros later stated that "it wasn't because I was gay. It was because they thought I was trying to gain more votes and have that little extra edge." While Verraros was out to fellow contestants and Idol employees, he did not mention his homosexuality on air. Following the end of the show and the subsequent tour, Verraros came out publicly in an article in The Advocate. On September 6, 2009, Verraros married his boyfriend Bill Brennan in a small ceremony in Illinois. They made it legal on July 24, 2011 in New York.

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Often referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records. His contribution to music, dance, and fashion, along with a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene along with his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1964, and began his solo career in 1971.

In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music. The music videos for his songs, including those of "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller", were credited with transforming the medium into an art form and a promotional tool, and the popularity of these videos helped to bring the relatively new television channel MTV to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made him a staple on MTV in the 1990s. Through stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, to which he gave the name. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced numerous hip hop, post-disco, contemporary R&B, pop and rock artists.