Alex Preston Philbrick (born May 6, 1993), better known as Alex Preston, is an American singer-songwriter who first came to prominence as the third-place finalist on the thirteenth season of American Idol. His self-titled debut album was released on July 21, 2015, and his second album, A Work in Progress, was released in 2018.
Early life Alex Preston was born and raised in Mont Vernon, New Hampshire. He wrote his first song called "Fish Food" when he was 12. He attended Souhegan High School in Amherst, New Hampshire where he played the guitar in a jazz band, and in the percussion section in concert and a marching band. He also formed a band with friends, Dustin Newhouse, Josh Brackett and Tucker Brown, called Undertow. He graduated from high school in 2011, and studied at the University of New Hampshire.
Preston has written songs with his cousin Jo Dee Messina, the rock band Framing Hanley, and Aria Summer. His song was used on the album "Voices for Heroes," a benefit for Sandy Hook. He won the "Open For MixFest" competition organized by a radio station to open for acts such as Backstreet Boys, Gavin DeGraw and Of Monsters and Men. His single "The Light Was Already Here" was released in September 2013.
American Idol
EpisodeThemeSong choiceOriginal artistOrderResultAuditionAuditioner's Choice"Fairytales" (original composition)Alex PrestonN/AAdvancedHollywood Round, Part 1A Capella"Scream & Shout"will.i.am feat. Britney SpearsN/AAdvancedHollywood Round, Part 2Group PerformanceNot airedNot airedN/AAdvancedHollywood Round, Part 3Solo"Fairytales" (original composition)Alex PrestonN/AAdvanced Top 31 (10 Men)Personal Choice"Volcano"Damien Rice7AdvancedTop 13This Is Me "A Beautiful Mess"Jason Mraz9SafeTop 12Home "I Don't Want to Be"Gavin DeGraw2SafeTop 11Songs from the Cinema"Falling Slowly"Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová9SafeTop 10Billboard Top 10"Story of My Life"One Direction4SafeTop 9I'm with the Band!"Don't Speak"No Doubt1SafeTop 8Back to the StartDuet "Just Give Me a Reason" with Jena IrenePink feat. Nate Ruess2SafeSolo "Fairytales" (original composition)Alex Preston12Top 8Songs from the 1980sDuet "The Girl Is Mine" with Sam WoolfMichael Jackson & Paul McCartney3SafeSolo "Every Breath You Take"The Police9Top 7Competitors' ChoiceDuet "Let Her Go" with Sam WoolfPassenger3SafeSolo "The A Team"Ed Sheeran7Top 6Rock 'n' Roll"Animal"Neon Trees4SafeCountry"Always on My Mind"Brenda Lee9Top 5America's RequestsSolo "Sweater Weather"The Neighbourhood1SafeTrio "Best Day of My Life"with Jena Irene & Sam WoolfAmerican Authors3Solo "Say Something"A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera8Top 4Love Songs"Too Close"Alex Clare3Safe"I'm Yours"Jason Mraz8"Yellow"Coldplay12Top 3Randy Jackson's Choice"Pompeii"Bastille2EliminatedJudges' Choice"Stay"Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko5Hometown's Choice"Story of My Life"One Direction8
2014–2019: Alex Preston album and A Work in Progress His debut, self-titled album was recorded in a cabin in Lone Pine, California and was released in 2015. His second album, A Work in Progress, was released in 2018. In 2019, he won a New England Emmy Award in the Special Event Coverage category for the program NH Chronicle Presents New Hampshire Idol.
Discography Albums Alex Preston (2015) "Break My Heart" "You" "Fairytales" "The Light Was Already Here" "Close to You" "200 Miles" "The Author" "Get Up, Get Down" "Love Letters" A Work in Progress (2018)
Digital singles Year SongAlbum 2013 "The Light Was Already Here" Non-album single 2014 "Story of My Life" "Don't Speak" "Fairytales" "Every Breath You Take" "The A Team" "Animal" "Say Something" "Too Close"
References
id:Alex Preston