Leah LaBelle was born on September 8, 1986 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Her parents are originally from Bulgaria, where her father was a former rock band member. Before joining season 3 of American Idol, Leah was in the middle of her academics in Garfield, High School, where held a steady GPA of 3.8. Like other American Idol Finalists, Leah started singing at around the same time she first started talking. Leah's other interests include playing the piano, swimming and dancing. She is more inclined towards R&B, Gospel and Soul music, but her favorite aritists include Justin Timberlake, Beyonce and Lauryn Hill. Leah has also traveled quite a bit, having visited countries like Bulgaria, South Africa and Germany.

Leah took the trip from her hometown in Seattle, Washington to New York City to try out for season 3 of American Idol. Although she made it to the semifinals, the votes she received were not enough to see her through to the next round. Fortunately, Paula Abdul chose Leah as her wildcard pick, and she was able to gain a place in the Top 12. Her rendition of "You Keep Me Hanging On" during the first week of the Finals was not so well-received by the judges nor by the voters, and she was the first to pack her bags the following day.

After her brief appearance in American Idol, Leah went back to Garfield High School in order to complete her studies. She graduated in 2005 and is currently a student of the Berklee School of Music. She has also recorded several songs with a variety of musical artists, one of whom is season 3 American Idol semifinalist Lisa Leuschner. Her other Post-American Idol projects include songs like "After Midnight" for the Seattle-based band, Clockwork and "Christmas in the Northwest 7."

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