Alabama singers Jess Meuse, Dexter Roberts and C.J. Harris in final 13 on American Idol

Alabama singers Jess Meuse, Dexter Roberts and C.J. Harris in final 13 on 'American Idol'


Alabama singers Jess Meuse (top left), C.J. Harris (top right) and Dexter Roberts (bottom left) are among 13 finalists on Season 13 of "American Idol." (Fox photos)
 By Mary Colurso | mcolurso@al.com
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on February 20, 2014 at 9:08 PM, updated February 20, 2014 at 9:56 PM
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Three singers from Alabama -- Jess Meuse, Dexter Roberts and C.J. Harris -- have a chance to become the next "American Idol." They're among the final 13 contestants on Season 13 of the Fox reality series.


The list of singers was announced on tonight's episode. They've risen to the top of an audition pool that originally held about 75,000 hopefuls, according to "Idol" host Ryan Seacrest.

Meuse, 23, a rocker from Slapout, and Roberts, 22, a country singer from Fayette, received enough votes from viewers to earn spots in the top 10. Harris, 22, a country-soul singer from Jasper, competed for a wild-card spot and got a thumb's up from the "Idol" judges, making the top 13.
Congrats, Jessica Meuse! #idol #IdolTop13 #IdolRushWeek pic.twitter.com/yGO5ovZINj

— American Idol (@AmericanIdol) February 21, 2014

All three will move on to the next phase of the singing competition, which starts on Feb. 26. The top 13 will perform; viewers will vote; one singer will be eliminated on the Feb. 27 episode. This format will continue until just two singers remain, going head-to-head for the "Idol" crown at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The series airs on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. CST.
Congrats, CJ Harris! #idol #IdolTop13 #IdolRushWeek pic.twitter.com/8RgrKZ6PFm

— American Idol (@AmericanIdol) February 21, 2014
Two Southern states, Alabama and Florida, have produced the same number of singers in the final 13 this season. North Carolina and Michigan each have two finalists. Tennessee, California and New Hampshire can claim one singer apiece.

Here's the full list of finalists:
Ben Briley (Gallatin, Tenn.)
C.J. Harris (Jasper, Ala.)
Jena Irene (Farmington Hills, Mich.)
Caleb Johnson (Asheville, N.C.)
Jess Meuse (Slapout, Ala.)
MK Nobilette (San Francisco, Calif.)
Kristen O'Connor (Sebastian, Fla.)
Alex Preston (Mount Vernon, N.H.)
Emily Piriz (Orlando, Fla.)
Dexter Roberts (Fayette, Ala.)
Majesty Rose (Goldsboro, N.C.)
Malaya Watson (Southfield, Mich.)
Sam Woolf (Bradenton, Fla.)
"American Idol" has been a springboard for several singers from Alabama, including winners Taylor Hicks (2006, a Hoover native) and Ruben Studdard (2003, a Birmingham resident). The state has produced two runners-up: Bo Bice (2005, a Huntsville native) and Diana DeGarmo (2004, a Birmingham native).
Congrats, Dexter Roberts! #idol #IdolTop13 #IdolRushWeek pic.twitter.com/zLYOZoJfqg

— American Idol (@AmericanIdol) February 21, 2014