Carly Smithson

S7 · Eliminated 6th

As of September 4, 2025

On September 4, 2025, it was announced that We Are the Fallen, with vocalist Carly Smithson, would perform one song with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra on September 12, 2025. She also sings in The Tribe.⁠[1][2]

Career

Before the show

  1. June 1999Carly Hennessy signed with MCA Records in June 1999.⁠[6]
  2. November 13, 2001Ultimate High, her debut album under the name Carly Hennessy, was released by MCA on November 13, 2001, and sold 378 copies in its first three months.⁠[3][6]
  3. 2002Smithson was dropped from MCA in 2002.⁠[3]

After the show

  1. July 1, 2008–September 12, 2008Smithson completed the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2008, which ran from July 1, 2008, to September 12, 2008.⁠[3]
  2. June 18, 2009On June 18, 2009, it was announced that Smithson would join Ben Moody in We Are the Fallen. Plans for her post-Idol solo album were scrapped.⁠[3]
  3. June 22, 2009We Are the Fallen made their official debut in Los Angeles on June 22, 2009.We Are the Fallen⁠[7]
  4. October 28, 2009On October 28, 2009, it was announced that We Are the Fallen, including Smithson, had signed with Universal Republic.We Are the Fallen⁠[3]
  5. May 10, 2010We Are the Fallen released Tear the World Down on May 10, 2010, in the United Kingdom and on May 11, 2010, in the United States, on Universal Republic.We Are the Fallen⁠[9]
  6. December 2010–August 2012Smithson began singing in the Las Vegas production of Cirque du Soleil's Viva Elvis in December 2010. The production closed in August 2012.⁠[3]
  7. May 27, 2011On May 27, 2011, Ben Moody wrote that Universal Republic had dropped We Are the Fallen and that the band would not disband.We Are the Fallen⁠[3]
  8. September 12, 2025On September 4, 2025, Blabbermouth reported that We Are the Fallen, with Carly Smithson, were scheduled to perform one song with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra on September 12, 2025.We Are the Fallen⁠[1]

Date not documented

  1. Tear the World Down debuted at No. 33 on the Billboard 200, with 13,000 copies sold that week.We Are the Fallen⁠[9]

Discography

TitleTypeYearLabelRIAA certificationU.S. salesListen
Ultimate High⁠[3][10]Album2001MCA RecordsApple Music
Tear the World Down⁠[8][9]We Are the FallenAlbum2010Universal RepublicApple Music

Awards

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2003Meteor Ireland Music AwardBest Irish Female Singer⁠[2][6]Won

Other activity

  • June 18, 2014Smithson was a table judge for American Idol season 14 stadium auditions from June 18, 2014, through July 30, 2014.⁠[3]
  • April 7, 2016On April 7, 2016, Smithson appeared on the American Idol farewell episode and performed Dolly Parton's Here You Come Again.⁠[3]

Sources

10 sources

  1. Former Evanescence guitarist Ben Moody's We Are the Fallen announces first live performance in 14 years — Blabbermouth, published September 4, 2025. News report. Retrieved October 7, 2026.
    Cited parts (6)
    • Article date and opening sentence: “September 4, 2025”
    • Opening sentence: “will reunite to join the”
    • Opening sentence: “Nashville Symphony Orchestra”
    • Opening sentence: “for one song”
    • Article date: “September 4, 2025”
    • Opening sentence: “vocalist Carly Smithson”
  2. Meet the Tribe — The Tribe. Label or artist. Retrieved October 7, 2026.
    Cited parts (4)
    • Meet the Tribe, Carly Smithson heading: “CARLY SMITHSON”
    • Meet the Tribe, member heading: “CARLY SMITHSON”
    • Meet the Tribe, job title: “(singer)”
    • Meet the Tribe, Carly Smithson bio: “The 2003 winner of the Meteor Ireland Music Award for Best Irish Female Singer”
  3. Carly Smithson (Wikipedia revision 1371039789) — Wikipedia, updated August 24, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 7, 2026.
    Cited parts (8)
    • Lead sentence: “born 12 September 1983”
    • Infobox, Born line (birth_date): {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1983|9|12}}
    • Lead: “Smithson was dropped from the record label in 2002.”
    • Post-Idol: “dropped by Universal Republic on 27 May 2011”
    • Post-Idol: “She also sings in The Tribe”
    • Lead: “she became the lead singer of the [[rock music|rock]] band [[We Are the Fallen]]”
    • post-Idol section: “it was announced on 18 June 2009, that she would be joining forces with [[Evanescence]] co-founder [[Ben Moody]] in a new band called [[We Are the Fallen]]”
    • Studio albums table: “Release date: 13 November 2001”
  4. American Idol season 7 — Wikipedia, updated July 29, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Elimination chart row Carly Smithson: Pl. 6, Eliminated in the Top 6 column (4/23); ratings table episode 'Top 6 Results', April 23, 2008
  5. List of American Idol finalists — Wikipedia, updated June 10, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Contestants table, row Carly Smithson: season 7, place finish 6th
  6. Ultimate High (Wikipedia revision 1355211397) — Wikipedia, updated May 20, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 7, 2026.
    Cited parts (3)
    • Background: “Carly Hennessy signed with MCA Records in June 1999”
    • Lead: “selling only 378 copies in its first three months”
    • Reception: “Carly Hennessy later won a [[Meteor Music Awards|Meteor Award]] in 2003 for Best Irish Female Singer.”
  7. We Are the Fallen (Wikipedia revision 1373589417) — Wikipedia, updated September 6, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 7, 2026.
    Cited parts (5)
    • Recording: “signed a record deal with [[Universal Republic Records]] on October 28, 2009”
    • Infobox current_members: [[Carly Smithson]]
    • Personnel: [[Carly Smithson]] – vocals
    • History: “We Are the Fallen officially debuted on June 22, 2009, performing two songs in Los Angeles”
    • Formation: “We Are the Fallen officially debuted on June 22, 2009, performing two songs in Los Angeles”
  8. iTunes album search for We Are the Fallen — Apple. Release database. Retrieved October 7, 2026.
    Cited parts (3)
    • Search result copyright for Tear the World Down: "copyright":"℗ 2010 Universal Republic Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc."
    • Search result Tear the World Down: "artistName":"We Are the Fallen"
    • Search result collectionName: "collectionName":"Tear the World Down"
  9. Tear the World Down (Wikipedia revision 1350471750) — Wikipedia, updated April 22, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 7, 2026.
    Cited parts (5)
    • Lead: “released in the United Kingdom on May 10, 2010”
    • Lead: “the United States on May 11, 2010”
    • Lead: “at No. 33, selling 13,000 for the week.”
    • Infobox released: “May 10, 2010”
    • Lead: “under the [[Republic Records|Universal Republic]] record label”
  10. iTunes album search for Carly Smithson or Hennessy — Apple. Release database. Retrieved October 7, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • Search result Ultimate High: "collectionName":"Ultimate High"
    • Search result artistName: "artistName":"Carly Hennessy"

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