VIDEO: This Week's IDOL INSIDER Catches Up with Blake Lewis

Idol Insider is your VIP ticket to a brand new American Idol XIII that follows the contestants 24/7, as they chase their dreams, and deliver exclusive content here every week. This week, host Sam Tsui checks in on the contestants and catches up on Season 6 fan favorite, Blake Lewis. 

No other show in TV history has proven to be a force in the entertainment industry like AMERICAN IDOL. AMERICAN IDOL solidified itself as the No. 1 television show for nine consecutive seasons and, following its 12thseason, still remains a Top 5 program. IDOL is the gold standard and the only TV singing competition show to produce hit recording artists. From the first-ever IDOL winner, Kelly Clarkson, who continues to dominate the charts with three Grammy Awards under her belt, to Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips, whose debut single, "Home," has become the best-selling single of any IDOL to date, AMERICAN IDOL is a bona fide cultural phenomenon. Season 12 winner Candice Glover continues to show the strength of the IDOL brand when her album, "Music Speaks," was the first album from an IDOL to debut in the Top 5 on iTunes when it was issued for pre-order on the night of the series' season finale.

IDOL's impact on the entertainment industry resonates beyond the scope of television. The series has brought generations together with a common goal: to discover the next music superstar. Over the past 12 seasons, IDOL finalists have released more than 200 albums, scored 400 No.1 Billboard hits, garnered more than 250 million iTunes downloads and have been certified with 95 gold and 83 platinum records. IDOL contestants have conquered Broadway, television and film and have won numerous awards and accolades, including American Country Music Awards, Country Music Awards, Grammy Awards and an Academy Award.

As AMERICAN IDOL XIII enters a landmark season in January 2014, the search continues to find amazing talent from across the nation. Hosted by Ryan Seacrest (@RyanSeacrest), and featuring judges Harry Connick, Jr.(@HarryConnickJR), Jennifer Lopez (@JLo) and Keith Urban (@keithurban), along with in-house mentor Randy Jackson (@yo_randyjackson), the series empowers contestants and viewers to share their voices in deciding who will be America's next singing superstar.

Every year, tens of thousands of hopefuls from across the nation audition for a shot at stardom. The show's judges will travel across the country including stops in Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Boston, MA; Detroit, MI; Omaha, NE, Salt Lake City, UT; and San Francisco, CA, in search of the next AMERICAN IDOL. They narrow down the competitors to a select group of semifinalists who sing their hearts out each week in front of a studio audience and television viewers.

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