Alex Preston
Background information
Birth nameAlex Preston Philbrick
Born (1993-05-06) May 6, 1993
United States
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2014–present

Alex Preston Philbrick (born May 6, 1993),[1] 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.[1][2] 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.[3] He also formed a band with friends, Dustin Newhouse, Josh Brackett and Tucker Brown, called Undertow.[1] He graduated from high school in 2011,[4] and studied at the University of New Hampshire.[5]

Preston has written songs with his cousin Jo Dee Messina, the rock band Framing Hanley, and Aria Summer. His song was used in the CD "Voices for Heroes," a benefit for Sandy Hook.[6] 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.[6] His single "The Light Was Already Here" was released in September 2013.[7]

American Idol

Alex Preston performing in 2015, shortly after placing third on American Idol.
Episode Theme Song choice Original artist Order Result
Audition Auditioner's Choice "Fairytales" (original composition) Alex Preston N/A Advanced
Hollywood Round, Part 1 A Capella "Scream & Shout" will.i.am feat. Britney Spears N/A Advanced
Hollywood Round, Part 2 Group Performance Not aired Not aired N/A Advanced
Hollywood Round, Part 3 Solo "Fairytales" (original composition) Alex Preston N/A Advanced
Top 31 (10 Men) Personal Choice "Volcano" Damien Rice 7 Advanced
Top 13 This Is Me "A Beautiful Mess" Jason Mraz 9 Safe
Top 12 Home "I Don't Want to Be" Gavin DeGraw 2 Safe
Top 11 Songs from the Cinema "Falling Slowly" Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová 9 Safe
Top 10 Billboard Top 10 "Story of My Life" One Direction 4 Safe
Top 9 I'm with the Band! "Don't Speak" No Doubt 1 Safe
Top 8 Back to the Start Duet "Just Give Me a Reason"
with Jena Irene		 Pink feat. Nate Ruess 2 Safe
Solo "Fairytales" (original composition) Alex Preston 12
Top 8[lower-alpha 1] Songs from the 1980s Duet "The Girl Is Mine"
with Sam Woolf		 Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney 3 Safe
Solo "Every Breath You Take" The Police 9
Top 7 Competitors' Choice Duet "Let Her Go"
with Sam Woolf		 Passenger 3 Safe
Solo "The A Team" Ed Sheeran 7
Top 6 Rock 'n' Roll "Animal" Neon Trees 4 Safe
Country "Always on My Mind" Brenda Lee 9
Top 5 America's Requests Solo "Sweater Weather" The Neighbourhood 1 Safe
Trio "Best Day of My Life"
with Jena Irene & Sam Woolf		 American Authors 3
Solo "Say Something" A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera 8
Top 4 Love Songs "Too Close" Alex Clare 3 Safe
"I'm Yours" Jason Mraz 8
"Yellow" Coldplay 12
Top 3 Randy Jackson's Choice "Pompeii" Bastille 2 Eliminated
Judges' Choice "Stay" Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko 5
Hometown's Choice "Story of My Life" One Direction 8
  1. ↑ Due to the judges using their one save on Sam Woolf, the top 8 remained intact for another week.

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.[8] 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.[9][10]

Discography

Albums

  • Alex Preston (2015)
  1. "Break My Heart"
  2. "You"
  3. "Fairytales"
  4. "The Light Was Already Here"
  5. "Close to You"
  6. "200 Miles"
  7. "The Author"
  8. "Get Up, Get Down"
  9. "Love Letters"
  • A Work in Progress (2018)

Digital singles

Year Song Album
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

  1. 1 2 3 Fred Bronson (March 20, 2014). "American Idol' Season 13: Alex Preston Gets Feedback From His Country-Star Cousin". The Hollywood Reporter.
  2. ↑ "Who Is Alex Preston? American Idol 2014 Contestant Background Info". WetPaint. Archived from the original on July 13, 2014.
  3. ↑ "'American Idol' finalist Alex Philbrick, aka Alex Preston, tuned up before contest at Nashua's North Main Music By Don Himsel". The Telegraph. March 4, 2014.
  4. ↑ Kimberly Houghton (February 13, 2014). "NH man moves up ranks in 'American Idol' competition". NewHampshire.com.
  5. ↑ Kimberly Houghton (March 14, 2014). "Alex Preston makes top 10; will tour with 'American Idol'". NewHampshire.com.
  6. 1 2 Lily O’Gara. "Singing in the spotlight: Former UNH student has big plans". The New Hampshire. Archived from the original on December 24, 2013.
  7. ↑ "The Light Was Already Here: Alex Preston". Amazon.
  8. ↑ "FORMER IDOL FINALIST ALEX PRESTON RELEASES IMPRESSIVE DEBUT ALBUM". idolchatteryd.com. July 25, 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  9. ↑ "42nd BOSTON-NEW ENGLAND EMMY® AWARD RECIPIENTS" (PDF) (Press release). New England Emmy Awards. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  10. ↑ Alex Preston (June 16, 2019). "@RealAlexPreston". Twitter. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
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