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The game starts in the audition room and ends on a finals stage that was created using the blueprints from the show. Players sing into a real microphone that connects to the PS2 and records every nuance of their delivery and compares it to how the original artist sang the track. Judges also will be featured in animated cutaways during the player's performances to bring out their personalities.

Players who earn it will be able to watch selected video footage from the first five seasons' performances, including Clay Aiken's rendition of "Build Me Up Buttercup." There will be 40 licensed songs in the game, including such songs from the first five seasons as "Don't Let the Sun Shine Down" and "Do I Make You Proud," the first single from reining "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks. There also will be such new singles as "Be Without You" and "You and Me."

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Plenty of "American Idol" top-10 finishers have released albums, but a 13th placer? Make way for Ayla Brown, 18, the basketball-playing almost-finalist from the most recent "Idol" season who announced Thursday �?just hours after her "Idol" obligation lapsed �?that she is releasing her debut, Forward on October 17 on the Double Deal Brand Records label. According to the singer's Web site, the first single, "Know You Better/ I Quit," will be released on September 12. The album is slated to feature songs written by Grammy-winner Diane Warren, David Eriksen (Clay Aiken, Lindsay Lohan), Ruby Amanfu, singer Jonatha Brooke and Phil Thornalley (Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn"). ...

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For the six finalists in the Northern Star Contest, it's all come down to this: Tuesday night, they'll sing one last time for local judges before two of them are chosen to win airline tickets and hotel rooms at a site where they can try out for "American Idol."

The chances are slim that either of those two finalists will make it to the blockbuster TV show that launched the careers of Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken, among others. In recent "American Idol" auditions at Birmingham, Ala., about 10,000 people who tried out were sent home with dashed hopes. Still, the contest has been a great experience, the Grand Forks contest finalists said.

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"I like Elvis Presley, Louis Armstrong and some poppier stuff, like Clay Aiken," Frankie said. "I sang one of his songs, 'This is the Night,' as a warm up for the contest."

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Do you think you have what it takes to be the next American Idol?
Now is your chance to follow in the footsteps of fellow contestants Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, Bo Bice and Carrie Underwood.
Once again, Fox 8 is sponsoring the 2006 Keystone Idol competition. Auditions will be held at DelGrosso\'s Amusement Park this Saturday, August 26. Gates open at 8 a.m. and registration will begin at 10 a.m.

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The injection of new life into the top ten is only getting started with Christina Aguilera's Back to Basics. Outkast's Idlewild and Danity Kane's self-titled debut dropped this week and new CDs from Justin Timberlake, Bob Dylan, Jessica Simpson, Audioslave, Beyonce, John Mayer, Clay Aiken, and Fergie will all challenge for the top of the charts in the next month alone. Save some cash. You're going to need it at the music store.

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