LaKisha Jones fans everywhere are thankful that her four year old daughter Brionne encouraged her to try out for American Idol. Having grown up singing in church choirs, it's no wonder that LaKisha immediately knew how to command the "Idol" viewers and judges. She wowed them with her initial audition of "Think," and continued to astound them with show-stoppers like "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going." Simon even said he "loved this girl" after she delivered that initial amazing performance. Despite her love of gospel music, you might be surprised to know that LaKisha was actually classically trained.

Many fans who attended the season six tour this summer have said that LaKisha stole the show with her moving solos. One such performance was her take on Whitney Houston's classic, "I Will Always Love You." TV Guide interviewed LaKisha while she was on tour and asked her whether she is surprised by the reaction she gets when people meet her. As she explained, "It's crazy sometimes because people scream and stuff. You never expect it." This was most certainly a far cry from the bank teller job she left to audition for AI!

Since her time on the show, LaKisha has performed live several times, and is looking to record either a Soul album or an Inspirational Gospel album, or possibly both. She performed the Star-Spangled Banner before the Detroit Tigers game on June 8, 2007.

Before auditioning for "Idol," LaKisha auditioned for a play in New York but did not get the part. However, a strong desire to perform on stage was instilled in her. Fortunately, LaKisha received the offer of a lifetime this past fall, as she took on the role of the church soloist in the Broadway musical The Color Purple. She has also been standing in for the much bigger role of Sofia (for Chaka Kahn) during the matinées. This was actually the role that Oprah Winfrey held in the 1985 film version. As she stated in an interview on Mlive.com, "I have a driver, so I'm living the life. It was just a blessing, you know, that they gave me the opportunity to do this." The only downside for LaKisha ha been being away from her daughter, who has been living with LaKisha's mother for the duration of the play.

LaKisha also became the face of Torrid, the Hot Topic-owned clothing company that specializes in plus sizes, to represent it at a recent event and for an appearance on MTV's "Made."

With all of these offers coming at her, LaKisha knew she had to pick up a competent manager, and she did just that with David Lombard. David has managed TLC, En Vogue, and Johnny Gill. "You can't help but love her. She has such a warm heart and a great story coming from where she's come from," said David to Mlive.com. He has also been impressed with her discerning nature as they have been choosing songs for her debut album. According to David, she knows exactly what songs suit her well.

Happy Birthday to LaKisha, who was born on January 13, 1980! LaKisha not only gained confidence in performing while on American Idol, but she really came into her own style-wise as well. Check out her Transformation Gallery!