Season 7 finalist Carly Smithson originally auditioned for Season 5 of American Idol, but due to a delay in obtaining a work visa, she was disqualified. Carly was back for Season 7 auditions and made it all the way to sixth place. Known for her rock performances and edgy style, Carly had a string of strong performances on the show. Despite receiving praise for her rendition of "Superstar" from Jesus Christ Superstar during Andrew Lloyd Webber week, Carly didn't have the votes to continue on in the competition. After learning that Carly was eliminated, Simon Cowell said, "I apologize for giving you a compliment last night - kiss of death, but let me tell you, Carly, you can leave with your head held high," and Carly did just that. Throughout the summer of 2008, she toured across America and Canada with her fellow Top 10 finalists.

Carly was active with American Idol during Season 8. First, she went to Hollywood Week auditions to help the hopefuls prepare for the grueling week ahead of them. On the first live results show of the season, Carly teamed up with fellow Season 7 finalist Michael Johns to perform "The Letter." On the night of the Season 8 finale, Carly went to her hometown of San Diego to host Adam Lambert's finale event.

A few months ago, Carly announced that she is part of a new band called We Are The Fallen, made up of former Evanescence members. Carly sang Evanescence's "Bring Me To Life" while on the American Idols Live! 2008 tour, and We Are The Fallen guitarist Ben Moody saw a clip of her singing online and knew she'd be the perfect person to front the band. Carly and the rest of the band are currently working on writing and recording their music. Read more about We Are The Fallen, here.

Happy Birthday, Carly!

Watch a video of Carly with the band.