Nobody thought that a folk singer who looked like Bob Marley would end up almost winning “American Idol,” but that’s exactly what Jason Castro did on the show’s seventh season. The singer became a viral icon after he covered Leonard Cohen’s song “Hallelujah,” in the style of Jeff Buckley. The single sold like mad and jumped him to first place in the iTunes music chart.
Castro definitely enjoyed the free publicity, as producers literally had to take the song down because it was selling too well. Since his appearance in the show, the singer no longer wears his unique dreadlocks but is still releasing albums. He did pretty well for himself and currently has a net worth of around $1.3 million. Quite impressive for a thirty-two-year-old!
Brittany Kerr - $60 Million
Kerr was eliminated quite early in the show, and never really got a chance to get the media attention and publicity she wanted. What makes her different, however, is that the singer is quite possibly richer than the first thirty contestants on our list combined. You see, she’s married to country star Jason Aldean, who has a net worth of over $60 Million.
Regardless of whatever professional choices she may take in her singing career, let’s just say that Kerr has secured herself financially. During auditions, she managed to showcase her charm and abilities and even got both Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson practically drooling over her. Still, you need the singing abilities to back it up, and apparently, this one didn’t.
Kimberley Locke - $1.5 Million
Kimberley Locke is quite a serious entertainment personality. Since her appearance on "American Idol," this larger-than-life singer has built several successful ventures. She basically used the attention to star in other shows, become a successful life and vocal coach, and even launch her first album, "One Love," back in 2004.
This ambitious lady didn’t settle for her TV and radio fame and decided to go back to Belmont University and get a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Management. Since then, Locke started her own entertainment company, "I AM Entertainment," and has been working daily on making her many dreams a reality. Her net worth is just over $1.5 million.
Ace Young - $1 Million
Rock singer Ace Young finished seventh on the fifth season of "American Idol," but that didn’t stop him from amassing a net worth of over a million dollars. The singer is highly talented at using social media to promote himself, which helped him stay relevant long after his appearance on the show. Despite a weak first album, Young is still a very active musician.
One of Young’s biggest strengths is his songwriting abilities, and he definitely showed it with his Grammy-nominated hit “It’s Not Over.” The song was recorded by Chris Daughtry’s band, Daughtry, and became extremely popular at the time. The young singer is also a veteran of the theater and regularly appears in Broadway musicals such as "Grease" and "Hair."
Justin Guarini - $700,000
Everyone can remember the great singing voice, charming personality, and unbeatable smile of Justin Guarini. It’s been many years since his appearance on the first season of "American Idol," where the singer was beaten by Kelly Clarkson in the finals. Simon was extremely impressed by the singer, to the point of fawning over his singing abilities and talents.
The singer performed extremely well on a technical level but wasn’t as popular among consumers as he was with the judges. Even getting a recommendation from Oprah wasn’t enough to boost his career once the buzz faded. Since then, Guarini has mostly focused on acting on Broadway, as well as appearing in a string of Dr. Pepper commercials.