Life after the show · 3 min read ·

Camile Velasco finished 9th on Idol in 2004. Now she sings reggae as Eli-Mac

Camile Velasco records as Eli-Mac. Juliet Simms, Chloe Kohanski, James Durbin and more Idol, Voice and X Factor singers release music under new names.

Camile Velasco

Camile Velasco

Photo: Peter Chiapperino : a concert photographer in Lexington , Kentucky · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo source.

Camile Velasco finished ninth on American Idol's third season in 2004. Since 2014 she has performed as Eli-Mac, a reggae and hip-hop artist, and in June 2026 she released a version of Diane Warren's I'll Never Get Over You Getting Over Me. Many singers from the shows record under a new name. Here are the names to search for.

Camile Velasco as Eli-Mac

Eli-Mac is Camile spelled backwards, and she says the name gave her the “ultimate freedom to finally be myself.” As Eli-Mac she has toured with The Green, Sublime and J. Boog, and on July 5, 2025, she played One Earth ReggaeFest at SteelStacks.

Juliet Simms as Lilith Czar

Juliet Simms, the runner-up of The Voice's second season, introduced Lilith Czar in February 2021 with the single King. She told PAPER that “Czar means king” and that the name is “the perfect culmination of femininity and masculinity and equality.” In May 2026, Black Veil Brides released the video for their single Cut, featuring Lilith Czar.

Juliet Simms

Photo: Zeddawg · Public domain · Photo source.

Chloe Kohanski, from chloe mk to sweet93

Chloe Kohanski, who won The Voice's 13th season, began releasing music as chloe mk in 2019 and called the name “a fresh start.” In 2026 she fronts sweet93, a dream pop project based in New York City. As sweet93 she sang on High.'s George, released on February 27, 2026.

James Durbin's metal records as DURBIN

James Durbin, fourth on Idol's 10th season, signed a multi-album deal with Frontiers Music under the name DURBIN; the label announced it in October 2020. He wanted his heavy metal records to be their own thing, so he took inspiration from Dio and Halford and chose DURBIN. The album Screaming Steel came out under that name on February 16, 2024.

James Durbin

Photo: mtanne · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Photo source.

CeCe Frey as CeCe, and Quentin Alexander as justSIGH

CeCe Frey, sixth on The X Factor's second season, records as CeCe; her album Westbound came out through Southland and EMPIRE on September 5, 2025. Quentin Alexander, sixth on Idol's 14th season, calls justSIGH his live performance voice. justSIGH released US, featuring Quentin Alexander, on February 11, 2026.

Andrew Sevener as Sevy, Han Hee-jun as JUDE and Paxton Ingram as PXTN

Andrew Sevener, fourth on The Voice's 16th season, records as Sevy; he toured with Tayler Holder in 2025 and released Hardly on October 9, 2026. Han Hee-jun, ninth on Idol's 11th season, changed his stage name to JUDE in March 2026. Paxton Ingram, a semifinalist on The Voice's 10th season, records as PXTN and has said, “PXTN is who I am, it is my identity.” PXTN released Stuck on repeat on September 30, 2026.

Han Hee-jun

Photo: NINE STARS · CC BY 3.0 · Photo source.

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