‘American Idol’ Winner Kris Allen’s New Song Might Surprise You
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It’s been 12 years since Kris Allen won Season 8 of American Idol against runner-up Adam Lambert. You may not have heard much from him in the past several years, but he’s still releasing music. Allen has a new single out called “Hallelujah! For Now.” The track, which was released last week, shows off a fresh sound from the 36-year-old that might surprise you.
Kris Allen Releases New Single ‘Hallelujah! For Now’
Allen’s new song starts off with slow, atmospheric voices singing the track’s title, “Hallelujah! For Now.” This is followed by humming and percussion that becomes bouncier as it goes along, and will totally change your expectations for the song.
The minute-long intro leads into an upbeat track that shows off Allen’s winning voice, backed by acoustic guitar. It’s not too far a cry from the pop-rock sound he showed off at the start of his career. It just feels updated for a more modern audience, with a softer edge.
Allen released another single earlier this year, called “Don’t Stop Dancing.” He’s also planning to go on tour this October with fellow American Idol winner David Cook, who earned the title the year before Allen.
If you like Allen’s current sound, you might be interested in checking out his 2019 album 10, which features reimagined versions of his older songs. Before that, his last albums were 2016’s Somethin’ About Christmas and Letting You In.
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What Has Allen Been Up to Since ‘Idol’?
Allen’s American Idol win in 2009 was a shock to some viewers who thought Lambert was the frontrunner. Shortly after his win, he signed a record deal and put out a self-titled album, which featured the single “Live Like We’re Dying,” which you probably heard a lot on the radio that year.
The singer went on to put out the albums Thank You Camellia and Horizons in 2012 and 2014, respectively. In 2017, he formed a band called The Dames, which has released several singles over the years, including “The Death of Mr. Jones.” Before the two new songs this year, his last solo single was “When All the Stars Have Died” in 2018.
Allen also has a family. He married his high school sweetheart, Katy O’Connell, in 2008. They have three kids together — two boys and a girl.
