David Hernandez

David Anthony Hernandez (born May 31, 1983) is an American singer and the twelfth place finalist of FOX's seventh season of the television series American Idol. He moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue his music career after his time on American Idol.

Early life Hernandez was born in Phoenix, Arizona, but grew up mostly in Glendale. He was raised by his single mom, Spring Hernandez. His father is a truck driver and he has a younger sister named Alexandra, 8 years his junior.

He began singing at age six. His grandfather took him to his first audition for a local theater company, Valley Youth Theater. David was chosen for one of the lead roles, and decided on a career singing and performing. Hernandez used to train at Voices, a vocal coaching studio. His teacher claimed that Hernandez trained "whenever he could afford it" as he wasn't always financially stable.

He was a young gymnast and won medals in the Grand Canyon Olympics. Hernandez had some acting experiences and was in an independent film before American Idol. He also once had aspiration of becoming an entertainment show host.

As a teenager, Hernandez went to a college in Tucson, Arizona. Randy Jackson claimed after one of his performances on American Idol that Hernandez has a Stevie Wonder vibe coming from his singing style. Hernandez himself described his sound as pop and R&B influenced.

Musical background David Hernandez was once part of a singing group called Vinyl Four which consisted of four singers prior to his appearance on American Idol. The group performed on the cruise ships. Hernandez also has performed with the Latin/R&B bands Tribe 7 and Straight up. Prior to his participation on American Idol, Hernandez has performed at Urban Network Events, Arizona Idol and at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade. He was a finalist in Arizona Idol (the winner of the competition secures a chance to audition for FOX's American Idol). After failing to take first place, he traveled to San Diego to audition successfully for the seventh season of American Idol. was the first member of the Top 12 to be eliminated, on March 12, 2008. Hernandez, along with 11th-place finisher Amanda Overmyer, did not perform on the annual summer tour.

Hernandez was revealed to have worked as a nude male stripper at a gay strip club, called Dick's Cabaret, in Phoenix, Arizona. No disclosure of his career as a stripper was made by Fox prior to the release and he was allowed to remain on the show. American Idol has had female former strippers in the show before and has not held the work against them.

Performances and results (during voting weeks)

Post Idol After he was eliminated on American Idol, David Hernandez made various appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (where he performed the song "In the Midnight Hour") Today Show, Access Hollywood, TRL, and TV Guide Network's Idol Tonight. He was subsequently asked to perform at The Children's Hospital of New York Presbyterian where he sang "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" and "In the Midnight Hour."

Hernandez sang the National Anthem at US Airways Centre on April 4, 2008, for the Phoenix RoadRunners hockey game finals. On May 1, 2008, Hernandez made an appearance at TV Guide'''s Sexiest Stars 2008 Party.

Hernandez stated that he had hoped to have an album out by 2009. He claimed that his first album is definitely going to be pop- and R&B-influenced, and he would like to write his own songs on the album. "It's definitely going to be an eclectic kind of vibe. I'd like to put a little bit of rock and R&B in it too. That's the kind of image I want to put out there. I'm more of an R&B, grit-and-grind kind of singer."

Hernandez toured with Diana DeGarmo, Kimberley Locke and Chikezie on a 20-city Idol Holiday Tour from November 28, 2008, through December 21, 2008. Hernandez has appeared on the CBS Early Show and performed on FOX's The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet. He finished a run performing his own show at the upscale nightclub Barcelona Scottsdale, located in Scottsdale, Arizona in June 2009. Hernandez opened for John Legend at the Declare Yourself Inaugural Ball in Washington, D.C., on January 18, 2009. He collaborates with sideman Shea Marshall for private performances around the Western US and Canada. Hernandez toured with Gina Glocksen, Michael Sarver and Alexis Grace in "The American Stars in Concert 2009" and released his first Christmas record entitled "This Christmas." Hernandez headlined a New Year's Eve show at the Greek Isle Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, with Mikalah Gordon and Dezmond Meeks. He rejoined the "Ballroom with a Twist" tour in mid-January 2010 that extended its run through March 2010. He was in "Motown Memories", a Motown tribute show located in Scottsdale, Arizona at the Talking Stick Casino & Resort that ran until April 30, 2011. He then rejoined "Ballroom with a Twist" alongside Gina Glocksen for a three-month run in Las Vegas, Nevada, while also continuing the "American Stars in Concert 2011" Tour with Lakisha Jones, Gina Glocksen, Michael Sarver and Alexis Grace. Hernandez has been reported to be working with Printz Board of The Black Eyed Peas on a single. Hernandez performed at San Jose Pride Festival on August 18, 2013.

In 2021, Hernandez replaced Aaron Carter as the headliner of the nude male musical revue Naked Boys Singing'' in Las Vegas, for a three-month residency beginning September 15, 2021.

Personal life Hernandez came out as gay after releasing his single "Beautiful".