Cody Simpson,
Thanks to Justin Bieber and other much hyped-about tween stars, “American Idol” has lowered its minimum age limit to 15. Originally set at 16, the now age limit opens the doors for stars like Justin Bieber and Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers, who hit it big before the ripe age of 16. ”A lot of young, talented people are now seeking careers and representation before they turn 16,” “Idol” executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz said in a statement. “Lowering the age limit allows us to tap into this talent.” Seeking careers before they turn 16 is right. One of the most buzzed about web stars since Susan Boyle is 12-year-old Greyson Chance, who performed a ballad version of Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” at his middle school to the tune of 26 million YouTube views and a record deal on Ellen DeGeneres’ own new record label, eleveneleven, which soon might stand for the average age of the artists being signed. The music industry is also searching for Bieber sound-a-likes, like 12-year-old Australian singer Cody Simpson, who scored rapper Flo Rida for his debut single, “IYiYi,” which is already moving up the charts. The maximum age limit, however, still stands at 28. It was raised from 26 back in 2004. The auditions for the 10th season of “American Idol” kick off in Nashville on July 17th. They’ll then hit cities like Milwaukee, New Orleans, East Rutherford, Austin and San Francisco. The last two teens to finish near the top were Season 7′s David Archuleta, who scored the runner-up title, and Jordin Sparks, who finished as the Season 6 champ
