Katharine McPhee may have been just the runner up in the fifth season of American Idol, but she has certainly reached superstar status in the eyes of her many doting fans. McPhee, born in 1984, is a pop singer, actress and model who stunned judges with her beautiful renditions of "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "Until You Come Back to Me." Since her appearance on American Idol, she has gone onto become a regular name in the pop music world, performing at various venues throughout the world and releasing many records that have gone onto become sensational hits. McPhee is now a household name in places around the country, and her voice an almost regular sound on radios and iPods.McPhee was born and raised in the Los Angeles area and had an increasing interest in musical theater as she was growing up. It was her dedication to music that helped convince McPhee that she should try out for the fifth season of American Idol, and although she did not emerge the winner, her music career blossomed after her appearance, with many people racing to music stores to pick up her first album, a self-titled record that was released in January 2007. The album featured the hits "Over It" and "Love Story." The former song achieved the number 29 mark on the Billboard Hot 100, and the song's music video became a number one hit on TRL and VH1's Top 20 countdown. McPhee also took time to tour and to appear alongside other musical artists like Cody Karey and she also toured with the famous Italian singer Andrea Bocelli in 2006 on his United States tour.During 2008, McPhee appeared on the seventh season of American Idol, performing the Beatles song, "Something" along with Grammy-winning producer David Foster. McPhee also appeared on the album Randy Jackson's Music Club, Volume 1, where she recorded the tune "Real Love." The pop-princess idol contestant is also concentrating on pursuing an acting career that will enable her to appear in several upcoming films.Katharine McPhee has a distinctive, sultry voice that readily commands attention. It is her voice that prompted her friends and family members to encourage her to compete on American Idol in the first place, and it is her voice that brought her to the prestigious spot of being runner-up. It is with her voice that Katharine McPhee continues to attract fans from around the world. Her success on the stage is noted by music critics, and hers is a sound that you will want to tune into when you hear it on the radio.