Phillip LaDon Phillips, Jr. (born September 20, 1990) is an American singer-songwriter from Leesburg, Georgia, and the winner of the eleventh season of American Idol.

Phillips was born in Leesburg, Georgia, the son of Sheryl (née LaDon) and Phillip Phillips, Sr. He grew up in Sasser and Leesburg, and attended Lee County High School. He graduated from Albany Technical College with a major in Industrial Systems Technology, but missed the graduation ceremony due to his obligations to American Idol. Prior to appearing on American Idol, he worked at his family's pawn shop.

Phillips said his favorite singer is Jonny Lang, and other favorites include John Butler, Dave Matthews and Damien Rice. He described his music as "jazz, rock alternative sound". Phillips was mentored by long time friend and brother-in-law Benjamin Neil.

Phillips auditioned in Savannah, Georgia. He sang "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder. The judges then asked him to perform a second song with his guitar, and he performed Michael Jackson's "Thriller." He advanced to the Hollywood rounds, and later to the Las Vegas round.

This article is about the singer; for others with the same name, see Philip Phillips (disambiguation).

Phil Phillips (born Philip Baptiste, March 14, 1926, Lake Charles, Louisiana) is an American singer and songwriter, best known for his 1959 hit, "Sea of Love".

Philip Baptiste was encouraged to pursue a career as a singer after a school performance of a song called "Sweet Slumber". He performed with his brothers in a gospel group called the Gateway Quartet and worked as a bellhop before he recorded "Sea of Love" in 1959.

The song was arranged and produced by Eddie Shuler for neighbor George Khoury's Khoury Records. After three months of work on the arrangement, building up the vocal group and trying out different musicians, the song was ready for release. Baptiste changed his name to Phil Phillips, and dubbed his backing vocalists The Twilights. After a Baton Rouge disc jockey played the song repeatedly, the recording sold heavily and was leased to Mercury Records.

"Sea of Love" went to #2 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 pop chart and spent 14 weeks in the top 40, as well as reaching #1 on the R&B chart. In 1959 it sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Nonetheless, Phillips was paid only $6800, and received no further royalties for the song or its recording.