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| name = Chikezie
| name = Chikezie
| image = ChikezieEze.jpg
| image = ChikezieEze.jpg
| caption = Chikezie at the ''American Idol'', Season 7, Top 12 after party on March 6, 2008.
| caption = Chikezie in 2008
| birth_name = Chikezie Ndubuisi Eze
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|9|11}}
| birth_date =
| birth_place = [[Inglewood, California]], [[United States]]
| birth_place = [[Inglewood, California]], US
| origin =
| origin =
| genre = [[R&B]], [[Soul music|soul]]
| genre = [[R&B]], [[Soul music|soul]]
Line 18: Line 18:
}}
}}


'''Chikezie Ndubuisi Eze''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|tʃ|ɪ|k|iː|z|iː}}; born September 11, 1985) is an American singer and the tenth place finalist on the [[American Idol (season 7)|seventh season]] of the television series ''[[American Idol]]''.<ref>California Birth Index, 1905-1995, lists name as Chikezie Ndubuisi Eze, born 11 Sep 1985 in Los Angeles County, California, and mother's maiden name listed as Emerueh.</ref>
'''Chikezie Eze'''<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tomcho |first1=Sandy |title=Former 'American Idol' Chikezie Eze speaks out |url=https://www.recordonline.com/story/entertainment/local/2008/11/28/former-american-idol-chikezie-eze/52167769007/ |access-date=4 June 2023 |work=Times Herald-Record |date=28 November 2008}}</ref> ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|tʃ|ɪ|k|iː|z|iː}}) is an American singer and the tenth place finalist on the [[American Idol (season 7)|seventh season]] of the television series ''[[American Idol]]''.


==Early life==
==Early life==
Chikezie was born in [[Inglewood, California]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chikezie Eze |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2923306/bio |access-date=2022-02-28 |website=IMDb |language=en}}</ref> to Nigerian parents, attended high school at the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies in West LA and [[Bethel College (Kansas)|Bethel College]] in Kansas.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://napavalleyregister.com/eagle/entertainment/american-idol-finalist-to-visit-idol-nv/article_5e6f50cd-2f17-5e17-b58e-704c67e0751e.html|title = American Idol finalist to visit Idol NV}}</ref> Before auditioning for ''American Idol'', he was a [[Transportation Security Administration]] screener and a cashier. He also attended [[Santa Monica College]] in [[Santa Monica, California]].<ref>http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2008-03-19-idol-elimination_N.htm</ref>
Chikezie was born in [[Inglewood, California]] to Nigerian parents, attended high school at the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies in West LA and [[Bethel College (Kansas)|Bethel College]] in Kansas.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://napavalleyregister.com/eagle/entertainment/american-idol-finalist-to-visit-idol-nv/article_5e6f50cd-2f17-5e17-b58e-704c67e0751e.html|title = American Idol finalist to visit Idol NV| date=January 29, 2009 }}</ref> Before auditioning for ''American Idol'', he was a [[Transportation Security Administration]] screener and a cashier. He also attended [[Santa Monica College]] in [[Santa Monica, California]].<ref>http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2008-03-19-idol-elimination_N.htm</ref>


==American Idol==
==American Idol==


Chikezie successfully auditioned for the [[American Idol (season 7)|seventh season]] of ''[[American Idol]]'' and made it to the top 12. He was eliminated on March 26, 2008, finishing in tenth place.
===Season 6===
He previously auditioned for the show's [[American Idol (season 6)|sixth season]] and made into the Hollywood Round, where he was cut before the top 40. He was good friends with Danny Noriega, who was also in the Hollywood Rounds for Season 6.

===Season 7===
Holding number 613, Chikezie successfully auditioned again for Season 7 of ''American Idol'' and made the top 24 and then the top 12. He was eliminated from ''American Idol'' on March 26, 2008, coming in tenth place. He was in the bottom 3 with [[Jason Castro (singer)|Jason Castro]] and [[Syesha Mercado]], who both made the top 4. According to his AmericanIdol.com profile, his musical influences are [[Donny Hathaway]], [[Stevie Wonder]], [[Marvin Gaye]], [[John Legend]], [[Sam and Dave]] and others. {{Citation needed|date=April 2008}} While on ''American Idol'' he roomed with David Archuleta.


===Performances===
===Performances===
{|class="wikitable" align="left"
{| class="wikitable unsortable" style="text-align:center;"
|colspan="100" bgcolor="CCCCCC" align="Center"|'''Week #'''
|colspan="100" bgcolor="CCCCCC" align="Center"|'''Theme'''
|colspan="100" bgcolor="CCCCCC" align="Center"|'''Song choice'''
|colspan="100" bgcolor="CCCCCC" align="Center"|'''Original artist'''
|colspan="100" bgcolor="CCCCCC" align="Center"|'''Order #'''
|colspan="100" bgcolor="CCCCCC" align="Center"|'''Result'''
|-
|-
! scope="col"| Week
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Top 24 (12 Men)
! scope="col"| Theme
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|1960s
! scope="col"| Song
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|"[[More Today Than Yesterday]]"
! scope="col"| Original artist
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|[[The Spiral Starecase]]
! scope="col"| Result
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|2
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe
|-
|-
! scope="row" | Top 24
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Top 20 (10 Men)
| 1960s
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|1970s
| "[[More Today Than Yesterday]]"
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|"[[I Believe to My Soul (song)|I Believe to My Soul]]"
| [[The Spiral Starecase]]
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|[[Donny Hathaway]]
| style="background:#FDFC8F|Safe
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe
|-
|-
! scope="row" | Top 20
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Top 16 (8 Men)
| 1970s
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|1980s
| "[[I Believe to My Soul (song)|I Believe to My Soul]]"
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|"[[All the Man That I Need]]"
| [[Donny Hathaway]]
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|[[Linda Clifford]]
| style="background:#FDFC8F|Safe
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe
|-
|-
! scope="row" | Top 16
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Top 12
| 1980s
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Lennon–McCartney
| "[[All the Man That I Need]]"
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|"[[She's a Woman]]"
| [[Linda Clifford]]
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|[[The Beatles]]
| style="background:#FDFC8F|Safe
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|2
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe
|-
|-
! scope="row" | Top 12
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Top 11
| [[Lennon–McCartney]]
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|The Beatles
| "[[She's a Woman]]"
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|"[[I've Just Seen a Face]]"
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|[[The Beatles]]
| [[The Beatles]]
| style="background:#FDFC8F|Safe
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|10
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe
|-
|-
! scope="row" | Top 11
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Top 10
| [[The Beatles]]
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Year They Were Born
| "[[I've Just Seen a Face]]"
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|"[[The Night I Fell in Love (album)|If Only for One Night]]"
| [[The Beatles]]
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|[[Luther Vandross]]
| style="background:#FDFC8F|Safe
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|4
|-
|colspan="100" align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Eliminated
! scope="row" | Top 10
|}{{Clear}}
| Birth year
| "[[The Night I Fell in Love (album)|If Only for One Night]]"
| [[Luther Vandross]]
| bgcolor="FF91A4" | Eliminated
|}


==Discography==
==Discography==
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*2008: [[American Idols LIVE! Tour 2008]]
*2008: [[American Idols LIVE! Tour 2008]]
*2009: American Stars In Concert - Wings Stadium, Kalamazoo, MI March 26, 2009
*2009: American Stars In Concert - Wings Stadium, Kalamazoo, MI March 26, 2009

==Post Idol==
After his elimination, Chikezie made appearances on ''[[Live with Regis and Kelly]]'', ''[[The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet]]'', and ''[[The Ellen DeGeneres Show]]''.

Chikezie completed the [[American Idols LIVE! Tour 2008]] which covered over 50 cities from July 1 to September 13, 2008.

Chikezie is mentioned in the skit Metaphor by nerdcore rapper [[mc chris]].

During an interview for ''LifeScript'', Chikezie announced he recently went [[vegan]] to avoid future health problems.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.lifescript.com/channels/healthy_living/Life_Tips/idol_worship.asp?page=2 |title = Everyday Health: Trusted Medical Information, Expert Health Advice, News, Tools, and Resources}}</ref>

He hosted a special called ''American Idols: Where Are They Now?'' on [[TV Guide Channel]] succeeding [[Sanjaya Malakar]].

On March 19, 2009, Chikezie confirmed via interview that he is working on an album that will be released "sometime in the next 3 months". He also stated that he has had various offers from a few labels, but denied them, claiming that they wanted him to be a certain way. He stated that his album is going to be a "culmination of everything I've learned as far as musically and style-wise". He also stated that he has plans to tour for his album's release.<ref>{{Cite news| url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/americanidoltracker/2009/03/catching-up-w-3.html | work=The Los Angeles Times | title=Idol Tracker | date=March 19, 2009}}</ref> As of July, 2014 no album has been released.

During August 2009, Chikezie taped with the [[soap opera]] ''[[General Hospital]]'' playing a singer.

==Personal life==
===Legal issues===
Chikezie was arrested on February 25, 2010 and charged with felony identity theft, after he attempted to purchase $1,289.57 worth of perfume at a [[Neiman Marcus]] store in [[Beverly Hills, California]] using a fake credit card. He was held on $50,000 bail.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.tmz.com/2010/02/26/chikezie-arrest-american-idol-identity-theft/|title='American Idol's' Chikezie Busted -- Too Famous!|work=TMZ|access-date=2018-03-19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Chikezie Eze arrested for identity theft |work=USA Today |date=February 26, 2010 |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2010/02/chikezie-eze-arrested-for-identity-theft/1 }}</ref>

He pled [[nolo contendere]] to misdemeanor identity theft and was ordered to perform 45 days of community service, serve three years' probation and stay out of Neiman Marcus.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.tmz.com/2010/08/19/chikezie-exe-plea-bargain-identity-theft-neiman-marcus-cologne-credit-card-community-service/|title='American Idol' Chikezie Eze Pleads in ID Theft Case|work=TMZ|access-date=2018-03-19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.tmz.com/2010/02/26/chikezie-eze-american-idol-felony-arrest-busted-cologne-neiman-marcus-beverly-hills/|title=Chikezie: I Got Busted Over Cologne|work=TMZ|access-date=2018-03-19}}</ref>

His probation was revoked and an arrest warrant issued after he failed to show for a court hearing in January 2011.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.tmz.com/2011/01/27/former-american-idol-chikezie-eze-bench-warrant-issued-probation-revoked-identity-theft/|title=Former 'Idol' Chikezie -- Arrest Warrant Issued|work=TMZ|access-date=2018-03-19}}</ref>

=== Marriage and family ===
Chikezie is married to Linda Iruke, with whom he has two children. The two wed on May 10, 2011 in [[Ladera Heights, California]].

The couple separated in June 2017<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mudmosh.com/linda-iruke-weds-american-idol-season-7-contestant-chikezie-eze/|title=Linda Iruke Weds American Idol Season 7 Contestant Chikezie Eze|website=mudmosh.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-03-19}}</ref> and eight months later in March 2018, Iruke was granted a [[restraining order]] after she alleged Chikezie had threatened her.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.tmz.com/2018/03/18/ex-american-idol-chikezie-eze-restraining-order-estranged-wife/|title=Ex 'Idol' Contestant Chikezie Eze's Estranged Wife Gets Restraining Order|work=TMZ|access-date=2018-03-19}}</ref>

Chikezie filed for divorce in May 2018 citing irreconcilable differences.<ref name="TMZ5">{{Cite web
|url=http://www.tmz.com/2018/05/25/ex-american-idol-chikezie-eze-files-for-divorce/ |title='Idol' Contestant Chikezie Eze Files for Divorce |date=2018-05-25 |website=TMZ |access-date=2018-08-10}}</ref>

Around that time, Iruke disappeared mysteriously, along with their children, and attempts to contact her or locate her were unsuccessful. In 2019, after more than a year of no contact, Eze spoke with [[TMZ on TV]] asking anyone with information on the location of his children to contact the Los Angeles Police Department's Child Abduction Unit.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://m.tmz.com/#!article/2019/03/24/chikezie-eze-american-idol-wife-kids-missing-child-abduction/|title=TMZ|website=m.tmz.com|access-date=2019-04-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160613025249/http://m.tmz.com/#!article/2019/03/24/chikezie-eze-american-idol-wife-kids-missing-child-abduction/|archive-date=June 13, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:African-American male actors]]
[[Category:African-American male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American male singers]]
[[Category:American people of Nigerian descent]]
[[Category:20th-century American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:American Idol participants]]
[[Category:American Idol participants]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
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[[Category:21st-century American male singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American male singers]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American male singers]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American male singers]]
[[Category:American musicians of Nigerian descent]]

Latest revision as of 05:49, 23 April 2024

Chikezie
Chikezie in 2008
Chikezie in 2008
Background information
BornInglewood, California, US
GenresR&B, soul
Occupation(s)Singer
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, harmonica
Years active2007–present

Chikezie Eze[1] (/ˈtʃɪkiːziː/) is an American singer and the tenth place finalist on the seventh season of the television series American Idol.

Early life[edit]

Chikezie was born in Inglewood, California to Nigerian parents, attended high school at the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies in West LA and Bethel College in Kansas.[2] Before auditioning for American Idol, he was a Transportation Security Administration screener and a cashier. He also attended Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California.[3]

American Idol[edit]

Chikezie successfully auditioned for the seventh season of American Idol and made it to the top 12. He was eliminated on March 26, 2008, finishing in tenth place.

Performances[edit]

Week Theme Song Original artist Result
Top 24 1960s "More Today Than Yesterday" The Spiral Starecase Safe
Top 20 1970s "I Believe to My Soul" Donny Hathaway Safe
Top 16 1980s "All the Man That I Need" Linda Clifford Safe
Top 12 Lennon–McCartney "She's a Woman" The Beatles Safe
Top 11 The Beatles "I've Just Seen a Face" The Beatles Safe
Top 10 Birth year "If Only for One Night" Luther Vandross Eliminated

Discography[edit]

Chikezie performing during the American Idols Live! Tour 2008.

Singles[edit]

These are his most downloaded songs and performances from iTunes:

Tours[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Tomcho, Sandy (November 28, 2008). "Former 'American Idol' Chikezie Eze speaks out". Times Herald-Record. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  2. ^ "American Idol finalist to visit Idol NV". January 29, 2009.
  3. ^ http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2008-03-19-idol-elimination_N.htm

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chikezie&oldid=1220344435"