Fousheé was cut in The Voice’s battle rounds. Later, a song she co-wrote hit No. 1.

Fousheé co-wrote Steve Lacy’s Bad Habit, a Hot 100 No. 1. Tamyra Gray co-wrote I Believe, Fantasia’s coronation single, which debuted at No. 1.

Sheet music on a stand beside an acoustic guitar and an empty chair.

Sheet music and a guitar · illustrative

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

41 contestants of American Idol, The Voice and The X Factor have a reviewed credit on Encore Index for a song that another artist recorded: 15 from American Idol, 19 from The Voice and seven from The X Factor. The reviewed records tie three of these songs to a number one on a Billboard chart, by Tamyra Gray, Chris Sligh and Fousheé. Alex Lambert and Fousheé did not reach the finals of their show.

Credits for the contestants' own recordings are on their profiles.

Contestants with a credit for another artist
41
Reviewed credits on this page
59
Credits tied to a Billboard number one
3
Contestants with songwriting award recognition
3

1

Number ones written by contestants

  • Tamyra Gray (S1 · Eliminated 4th): In 2004, Tamyra Gray co-wrote "I Believe", the season 3 coronation single that Fantasia Barrino released and that debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
  • Chris Sligh (S6 · Eliminated 10th): Chris Sligh co-wrote Here Comes Goodbye with Clint Lagerberg, and Rascal Flatts released it. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country chart in April 2009, after 12 weeks on the chart. By April 13, 2009, it had moved from sixth to first on the Billboard/R&R and Mediabase/Country Aircheck charts.
  • Fousheé (The Voice S15 · Eliminated in the Battle rounds): Fousheé co-wrote Steve Lacy's "Bad Habit", released as a single on June 29, 2022; the song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 2022.

2

Songs for other artists, show by show

Each card gives the person's run on the show and each reviewed credit, in date order; a credit without a date comes last.

American Idol (15)

    • 1999Before the showShared the songwriting credit for "Pure Love" on Raven-Symoné's album Undeniable, before the show.
    • 2004Co-wrote "I Believe", the season 3 coronation single that Fantasia Barrino released and that debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
    • Date not givenWith Elizabeth Elkins, wrote songs recorded by other artists, including Billy Currington, Sugarland, Wanda Jackson and Angaleena Presley.
    • September 22, 2009Co-wrote Stand by Me and Fight, a song on Frankie Negrón's album Independence Day, which came out on September 22, 2009.
    • Date not givenHe wrote the chorus of Daughtry's debut single It's Not Over.
    • Date not givenHe co-wrote Happy Little Pill for Troye Sivan and I Built a Friend for Alec Benjamin.
    • December 4, 2007Co-wrote What'cha Got 2 Lose? and the iTunes bonus track Human on Blake Lewis's album A.D.D. (Audio Day Dream). That album was released on December 4, 2007.
    • May 17, 2011He is credited with Michael Stevenson as a writer of Tyga's single Far Away.
    • April 2009He co-wrote Here Comes Goodbye with Clint Lagerberg, and Rascal Flatts released it. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country chart in April 2009, after 12 weeks on the chart. By April 13, 2009, it had moved from sixth to first on the Billboard/R&R and Mediabase/Country Aircheck charts.
    • May 10, 2011Co-wrote "Still Got Tonight", a single from Matthew Morrison's debut album; he also co-wrote songs recorded by other singers in 2011 and 2012.
    • June 26, 2012Alex Lambert co-wrote Trouble with busbee and Jason Bonilla. It was released as a single by Chris Rene on Epic Records on June 26, 2012.
    • September 14, 2012Alex Lambert co-wrote Beautiful, a duet of Carly Rae Jepsen and Justin Bieber, with Toby Gad and Bieber. It appeared on Jepsen's album Kiss, released on September 14, 2012, and reached number 87 on the Billboard Hot 100.
    • November 2, 2018Vicetone released the single Something Strange, which features her vocals and which she co-wrote; it later reached number 23 on the Billboard Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart.
    • February 25, 2014Co-wrote three songs on Romeo Santos's album Formula, Vol. 2 (Sony Music Latin): Odio featuring Drake, the deluxe-edition track Trust and the Google Play edition track Gone Forever. She also sang background vocals on most of the album's tracks.
    • February 4, 2022Wrote Fat Funny Friend with Maddie Zahm. Zahm's recording was released on February 4, 2022.
    • June 14, 2024Luke Combs released Fathers & Sons on June 14, 2024, with Noah Thompson credited as a writer on the opening song, Front Door Famous.
    • Date not givenAs a high schooler she wrote and sang on Building 429's song Different. Her father, Jason Roy, is the lead singer of Building 429.

The Voice (19)

    • 2017In 2017 she co-wrote and sang on Needed You, from Illenium's album Awake.
    • 2009Before the showIn 2009 he was the featured singer and songwriter of October Sky on Vanessa Williams's album The Real Thing.
    • 2015In 2015, Michelle Chamuel co-wrote and produced Hang Out with You, a song by Mary Lambert.
    • Date not givenThey co-wrote the title track of Blake Shelton's album Body Language and performed on that song.
    • Date not givenThey co-wrote All of My Love, a song on Blake Shelton's album For Recreational Use Only.
    • February 27, 2018Vedo, under the name Wilbart McCoy III, has a composition credit on Lil Dicky and Chris Brown's Freaky Friday, released on February 27, 2018.
    • Date not givenVedo has a writing credit on Don't Waste My Time by Usher featuring Ella Mai.
    • 2019In 2019, Caroline Pennell was a writer of Invisible, recorded by Zara Larsson for the Klaus soundtrack.
    • 2020In 2020, Caroline Pennell was a writer of Past Life, recorded by Trevor Daniel and Selena Gomez.
    • 2021In 2021, Caroline Pennell was a writer of seven songs on Demi Lovato's album Dancing with the Devil... the Art of Starting Over, including The Art of Starting Over and California Sober.
    • 2021In 2021, Caroline Pennell was a writer of You, recorded by Benny Blanco with Marshmello and Vance Joy.
    • 2024In 2024, Caroline Pennell was a writer of Tonight I Might, recorded by Katseye.
    • 2025In 2025, Caroline Pennell was a writer of Red Flag, recorded by Kesha.
    • 2010Before the showHeather Headley’s Audience of One, which includes Ordinary Me co-written by Will Champlin, received the 2010 Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album.
    • 2005Before the showShe co-wrote Emotional on Najee's 2005 album My Point of View. The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart. The recording is credited as Najee featuring Sisaundra.
    • 2019In 2019 he signed his first publishing deal with Sony Music Publishing after Cody Johnson recorded his song Nothin' On You. He wrote songs at Sony for a year.
    • May 3, 2018On May 3, 2018, Jordan Smith announced that he wrote Ashes for the Deadpool 2 soundtrack, performed by Celine Dion.
    • Date not givenHe has written songs recorded by Chance Peña, Shaboozey, and Kane Brown.
    • Date not givenShe co-wrote Aftermath for Adam Lambert.
    • 2016In 2016 he was credited as a co-songwriter on Charles Esten's single Already Gone Away.
    • August 5, 2004Before the showShe co-wrote "I Need a Love" and "Follow Your Destiny" with Rob Lewis and Cookie Lewis. Kelly Rowland performed both. The Seat Filler premiered on August 5, 2004. No soundtrack album was released, and "I Need a Love" came out as a promo single by Kelly Rowland.
    • 2022She co-wrote SNAP, recorded by Rosa Linn and released in 2022. On June 11, 2024 the song had more than 1.3 billion streams on Spotify.
    • 2023In 2023 he collaborated with Lewis Brice and Lee Brice, as a lyricist, on the track Product Of.
    • Date not givenDave Fenley has written songs recorded by Chris Young, AJ McLean, Coffey Anderson, and Josh Abbott Band, including I Hope It’s Okay, Getting’ Older, Boy and a Man, She Ain’t No Chevy, and Born To Break Your Heart.
    • June 29, 2022Co-wrote Steve Lacy's "Bad Habit", released as a single on June 29, 2022; the song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 2022.
    • Date not givenHe co-wrote First Things First, which Consumed By Fire recorded.
    • June 19, 2026She shares the writing credit on Priorities, from the Chlöe and Timbaland mixtape Resurrection, released June 19, 2026. Bailey and T. Mosley are among the other credited writers.

The X Factor (7)

    • Date not givenHe has written songs for Chris Brown, Jason Derulo, and K. Michelle.
    • Date not givenKrajcik has a cowrite with Avicii on Addicted to You.
    • 1977Before the showIn 1977 Elton John recorded Mama Can't Buy You Love and Are You Ready for Love, songs by LeRoy Bell and Casey James, in The Thom Bell Sessions.
    • 1979 – 1990Before the showLeRoy Bell wrote songs for Teddy Pendergrass from 1979 through 1990, including I'll Never See Heaven Again, Set Me Free, Loving You Was Good, Heaven Only Knows, and Glad to Be Alive.
    • 2002Before the showIn 2002 Jennifer Lopez recorded Still, cowritten by LeRoy Bell, Casey James, and Jennifer Lopez, on This Is Me... Then.
    • 2005Before the showIn 2005 the Freemasons recorded Love on My Mind, a LeRoy Bell song.
    • Date not givenShe has songwriting cuts with Lil Yachty, Ruth B, and Anna Shoemaker, and she has written with Ingrid Michaelson and Carly Rae Jepsen.
    • Date not givenRestless Road has written songs for Rascal Flatts, Granger Smith, David James, and Kane Brown.
    • 2019In 2019, Sierra Deaton was a composer and vocalist on Forgive by Gnash.
    • 2020In 2020, Sierra Deaton was a composer on Lover of Mine by 5 Seconds of Summer, from the album Calm.
    • 2021In 2021, Sierra Deaton was a composer on Baby Blue and Bloodline, from Luke Hemmings' album When Facing the Things We Turn Away From, and sang on Baby Blue.
    • 2022In 2022, Sierra Deaton was a composer and vocalist on Older by 5 Seconds of Summer, from the album 5SOS5.
    • 2023In 2023, Sierra Deaton was a composer on Forevermore by Atreyu, from the album A Torch In The Dark.
    • 2025In 2025, Sierra Deaton was a composer and lyricist on Ghost by 5 Seconds of Summer, from Everyone's A Star!, and sang on I'm Scared I'll Never Sleep Again.
    • Date not givenZach Beeken is signed to Spirit Music and Fluid Music Revolution. Preston Cooper recorded his song Lucky Ones.

3

Songwriting awards and nominations

Awards and nominations for a song that the person co-wrote and another artist recorded.

  • Ace Young (S5 · Eliminated 7th)
    • Grammy Awards 2008: Best Rock Song for It's Not Over. Nominated (shared credit).
  • Brandon Rogers (S6 · Eliminated 12th)
    • As of November 8, 2022, NATAS listed Brandon Rogers as a Children’s and Family Emmy nominee as a co-writer of In Your Shoes from Sneakerella.
  • Fousheé (The Voice S15 · Eliminated in the Battle rounds)
    • Fousheé was nominated for Song of the Year at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards as a co-writer of "Bad Habit".

Questions

Has a singing show contestant written a number-one song for another artist?

Yes. In 2004, Tamyra Gray co-wrote "I Believe", the season 3 coronation single that Fantasia Barrino released and that debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Chris Sligh co-wrote Here Comes Goodbye with Clint Lagerberg, and Rascal Flatts released it. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country chart in April 2009, after 12 weeks on the chart. By April 13, 2009, it had moved from sixth to first on the Billboard/R&R and Mediabase/Country Aircheck charts. Fousheé co-wrote Steve Lacy's "Bad Habit", released as a single on June 29, 2022; the song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 2022.

Did Fousheé co-write "Bad Habit"?

Yes. Fousheé co-wrote Steve Lacy's "Bad Habit", released as a single on June 29, 2022; the song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 2022. Fousheé was nominated for Song of the Year at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards as a co-writer of "Bad Habit". On The Voice, she was eliminated in the Battle rounds of season 15. The Voice contestants who left in a taped round.

Did a contestant of The Voice write a song for Celine Dion?

Yes. On May 3, 2018, Jordan Smith announced that he wrote Ashes for the Deadpool 2 soundtrack, performed by Celine Dion.

Which X Factor winner has written songs for 5 Seconds of Summer?

Sierra Deaton, who won season 3 of The X Factor as part of Alex & Sierra. In 2020, Sierra Deaton was a composer on Lover of Mine by 5 Seconds of Summer, from the album Calm. In 2022, Sierra Deaton was a composer and vocalist on Older by 5 Seconds of Summer, from the album 5SOS5. In 2025, Sierra Deaton was a composer and lyricist on Ghost by 5 Seconds of Summer, from Everyone's A Star!, and sang on I'm Scared I'll Never Sleep Again. The X Factor USA finalists: where are they now.

Which American Idol contestants write songs for other artists?

Encore Index has a reviewed credit for 15 contestants of American Idol: EJay Day, Tamyra Gray, Vanessa Olivarez, Anthony Fedorov, Ace Young, Brandon Rogers, Chris Richardson, Chris Sligh, Kris Allen, Alex Lambert, Haley Reinhart, Karen Rodriguez, Catie Turner, Noah Thompson and Haven Madison.

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