Born to Perform: A lifelong lover of music, she plays the piano, guitar, drums, tambourine, and clarinet and is learning cello. Elise kicked off this year’s Cooper River Bridge Run, singing the national anthem for the more than 40,000 runners
Born to Perform: An eight-year-old Elise playing at home in Kinnelon, New Jersey
Family Ties: Elise with her parents, Victor and LuAnne, at the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas for American Idol episode 11, when the judges cut the contestants from 70 to 42
Star Power: Mixing tracks with Joey Cox at Charleston Sound
Elise Testone Takes Flight
Ready to Soar: Elise in the Butterfly House at Cypress Gardens
Born to Perform: headlining her own float during New York’s Columbus Day Parade in November 2012
Dream Come True: On season 11 of American Idol, Elise sang Billy Joel’s “For the Longest Time” perched on judge Steven Tyler’s lap for “The Top 10 Group Performance.” When she told him, “My dream come true,” he said, “Your dream?!”
High Notes: At home rehearsing for her sold-out Valentine’s Day performance at the Music Hall
Star Power: At the Myrtle Beach House of Blues with Darius Rucker, who sings the duet “Better Than” on her debut album, In This Life.
High Notes: Elise and her bandmates opened for B.B. King at the Performing Arts Center in April. “What an honor,” she says. “He has inspired me throughout my musical life.”
Family Ties: With her dog, Leon.
Show Time: Mugging for the cameras with the 10 finalists during the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2012.
Show Time: For the “Top 7” show, Elise sang Alicia Keys’ “No One.” She made it through that round but was eliminated the following week, finishing sixth overall.
Dream Come True: With record producer Jimmy Iovine and Stevie Nicks, who said of singing with Elise, “I felt a kindred spirit with her because I don’t sing with just anybody. If I needed a singer, I would hire her in a second.”
