Don’t feel too bad for your favorite ‘American Idol‘ contestant if he or she gets the boot in the next few weeks. Just for appearing on the show, a finalist can rake in some serious cash, according to ‘Idol’ contracts obtained by the New York Times.
Proof of that lies in season 8 winner Kris Allen, who has since earned at least $650,000 from the show — the minimum amount a winner will ultimately receive, ‘Idol’ sources claim.
Meanwhile, top 5 contestants can reportedly make up to $100,000, which doesn’t even include money obtained from iTunes recordings or subsequent record deals, should they be signed. Even those who crack the top 12 are “guaranteed several thousand dollars for their efforts,” according to the report.
(And if that wasn’t enough, ‘Idol’ finalists can find monetary gold in promotional items like the ‘American Idol Experience‘ ride at Disney World in Orlando, Florida; Allen, for example, was paid a cool $100,000 by Disney for simply uttering “I’m going to Disney World!” after he won the season 8 title.)
But while these perks may sound irresistible, remember that each contract, well, comes with a price. Although each ‘Idol’ contestant is tied to 19 Entertainment for three years, 19 Entertainment “continues to collect a percentage of some of the contestant’s earnings for 10 years.”
Last year’s contracts were officially made public after they were filed in a Los Angeles court in compliance with laws that require entertainment contracts with minors (like fourth-place finisher Allison Iraheta) to be court-approved.
I loved the top 5 Idol group song last night. It was sad to see Aaron Kelly eliminated but I do believe the others were better singers hence he had to go!