Elliott Yamin: Biography Update, Age, Personal Life, Net Worth, Relationships

Ephraim Elliott Yamin, born on July 20, 1978, is an American singer best known for his hit single “Wait for You” and for finishing third on the fifth season of American Idol.

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Yamin’s self-titled album came out on March 20, 2007. It debuted at number one on the Billboard Independent Albums chart and number three on the Billboard 200. The album was certified gold in the United States in October 2007. In Japan, it was released as Wait for You in May 2008 and also earned gold certification by September 2008.

Yamin released two Christmas albums: Sounds of the Season: The Elliott Yamin Holiday Collection in October 2007 and My Kind of Holiday in October 2008.

Profile Summary

Age

Elliott was born on July 20, 1978, in Richmond, Virginia.

Biography

Ephraim Elliott Yamin’s father is Israeli-Iraqi, with his family moving from Baghdad to Israel. She received the “Golden Idol for Proudest Family Moment Award” from Ryan Seacrest during Elliott’s time on American Idol. The family moved to Richmond, Virginia, when Elliott was 11. His parents divorced when he was 14, and his father returned to Los Angeles. Elliott attended Tuckahoe Middle School and Douglas S. Freeman High School in Richmond. He left high school during his sophomore year but later earned his GED. While working at Foot Locker in their management program, at a pharmacy, and as an on-air DJ for WCDX/Power 92 FM under the name E-Dub, he auditioned for American Idol. Elliott has an older half-sister and a younger brother.

As a child, Yamin had frequent ear infections and had eardrum replacement surgery at age 13, which left him with 90% hearing loss in his right ear. He was diagnosed with Type I diabetes at 16 and uses an insulin pump to manage it. Yamin is 5’6″ tall.

Yamin discovered his singing talent in his late teens while doing karaoke. Even without formal musical training, he performed with a local jazz band and at amateur events, often emulating artists like Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, and Donny Hathaway.

Advocacy

Yamin actively supports and serves as a spokesman for organizations such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). In October 2006, he sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Dodger Stadium and participated in the JDRF International Walk to Cure Diabetes. A portion of proceeds from his Virginia State Fair concert also benefited the JDRF. He returned for the 9th Annual Spring Gala on April 4, 2009.

In August 2007, Yamin visited Capitol Hill as International Celebrity Advocate Co-chair of the Promise to Remember Me Campaign, petitioning Representatives to support the extension of the Special Diabetes Program, which provides federal funding for type 1 diabetes research.

In October 2007, Yamin was named Global Ambassador for the Inspired by Diabetes Creative Expression Competition, a global contest that invites people with diabetes, their friends, and families to share how the disease has impacted their lives through art, music, or essays.

During his fall 2007 concert tour, Yamin announced that all proceeds from the sale of designated T-shirts and pins would benefit the Life for a Child Program, which provides insulin and diabetes-related care and supplies to children in developing countries.

On World Diabetes Day, November 14, 2007, Yamin performed “Promise to Remember Me” with children with diabetes in the United Nations Rose Garden. After the ceremonies, he appeared on the Montel Williams Show, where he discussed his experiences living with the disease and performed “Wait for You.” The segment aired on November 29, 2007.

In October 2009, Yamin was a guest speaker at the World Diabetes Congress in Montreal, Canada, participating in an open forum on “Living with diabetes and its complications: perspective of someone with diabetes.”

American Idol

Yamin auditioned in Boston, Massachusetts, singing Leon Russell’s “A Song for You.” Although his audition was not initially aired, it was later broadcast on October 24, 2009, as part of American Idol Rewind season 5. He performed the song again during the Hollywood rounds, along with Rascal Flatts’s “Bless the Broken Road.” In the group auditions, Yamin and his group performed “It’s In Her Kiss” (“The Shoop Shoop Song”) by Betty Everett. Simon Cowell criticized the group performance, but Randy Jackson said Yamin was the best in his group, and Paula Abdul noted that while he was not a strong dancer, he was an excellent singer. The judges advanced him to the finals.

During a weekly rehearsal, guest coach Stevie Wonder encouraged Yamin to pursue a career in music. Simon Cowell described Yamin as “potentially the best male vocalist” in five seasons of American Idol and later called his performance of “A Song for You” a “vocal masterclass.” This performance ranked third on Entertainment Weekly’s list of the 16 best American Idol performances in the show’s history.

On the May 10, 2006, results show, Yamin, Taylor Hicks, and Katharine McPhee were named the top three finalists. Each returned to their hometowns for a day of celebrations. During his homecoming, Yamin participated in radio and television interviews, performed “Home” for over 4,000 fans, received the key to the city from Mayor Douglas Wilder, and met Governor Tim Kaine. He also threw the first pitch at a sold-out Richmond Braves game at The Diamond and sang a cappella a verse of “A Song for You.”

Yamin was eliminated from American Idol on May 17, 2006, after a close competition in which the top three contestants received nearly equal percentages of viewer votes.

Net Worth

Elliott Yamin is an American singer with a net worth of $3 million.