Who Is Jermaine Sellers?

(MYFOX NATIONAL) - Jermaine Sellers did not advanced to the next round of Idol, as he was voted off on Thursday night. The singer is headed back to church. "I'm a church singer," he said. "That's where my heart is."

To BET viewers American Idol contestant Sellers may seem a little familiar.

That's because Sellers, 27, appeared on BET's Sunday Best gospel talent in 2007, when he was the second runner-up. He is now among the American Idol contestants headed to Hollywood.

The Huffington Post reports that the south suburban Joliet, Ill. resident sang gospel music at the Church of the Holy Ghost in Joliet, where he also cares for his mother, who has spina bifida.

He sang Joan Osborne's "What If God Was One of Us" at the American Idol audition in Atlanta. He was moved on by judges Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi, Simon Cowell and guest judge Mary J. Blige.

According to Seller's MySpace page, Sellers joined Walt Whitman & The Soul Children of Chicago when he was seven. The experience was soured because he stood out in his public high school where he was taunted and teased.

He signed with a record label at 14 and another one at 17 but got discouraged when nothing came to fruition. He later performed with gospel singer John P. Kee and the VIP Mass Choir.

At 19 he performed for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. He would go on to appear on Sunday Best and has since toured with Tyler Perry's play "The Marriage Counselor" and appeared on BET's Bobby Jones Gospel.

Other projects included a new show with BET called 106 & Park Generation Gospel, according to his MySpace page.

Sellers is now wooing the Idol judges as he ranked among the top 24 semi-finalists on Hollywood night. The following comments from judge Randy Jackson were included in American Idols' Jermaine Sellers blog on blogspot.

"This, so far ... all of the cities ... best vocal we've seen yet," Randy declared (just two episodes into the season). "You've got skills. This kid is hot! This is the real deal right here."

Sellers is scheduled to perform next on Wednesday, Feb. 24.

"American Idol" Season Nine Contestant Profiles:

Didi Benami | Lacey Brown | Crystal Bowersox | Michelle Delamor | Lee DeWyze | Katelyn Epperly | Andrew Garcia | Tyler Grady | Todrick Hall | Casey James | Aaron Kelly | Alex Lambert | Michael Lynche | Siobhan Magnus | Paige Miles | Jose Munoz | John Park | Ashley Rodriguez | Lilly Scott | Jermaine Sellers | Katie Stevens | Tim Urban | Haeley Vaughn | Janell Wheeler