Scott Krippayne, together with songwriting partner Pastor Jeff Peabody, has won American Idol’s Songwriter Contest. Their composition, This Is My Now was performed by the final two finalists Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks and will be the lead single for the eventual winner.

This Is My Now was one of 20 songs voted on by the public to be performed by the two finalists. On the Songwriter bio page, it says that Krippayne “desires to earn enough money from songwriting to put food on the table for his wife and two kids.” We think that his wish has come true.

During Tuesday night’s telecast, American Idol host Ryan Seacrest introduced Krippayne and Peabody. Krippayne was told to sit down immediately as Seacrest felt Krippayne made him look “short”.

To recap, several of this year’s American Idol finalists have evangelical connections.

Jordin Sparks was the 2004 GMA (Gospel Music Association) Academy Spotlight Overall winner and who placed 2nd at 2004’s GMA Music in the Rockies National Competition. Sparks was also a singer on Michael W. Smith’s Christmastime tours in 2005 and 2006.

Melinda Doolittle, a Belmont University graduate, has worked as a background singer in Nashville for nearly 10 years, recently earning credits on albums by CeCe Winans, Jonny Lang and Smokie Norful, among others.

Chris Sligh, like Sparks, is a GMA Music in the Rockies alumnus. Sligh fronted his band, The Chris Sligh Band, and competed at Estes Park in 2002 and 2003. Sligh also won first place in the Pop-Adult Contemporary/Inspirational Song category in 2003 for writing Only You Remain. He is a worship leader at Seacoast Church in Greenville, SC. During the American Idol finals, Sligh performed dc Talk’s We Just Want to Be Loved.

Phil Stacey is the minister of music at First Coast Christian in Jacksonville, FL, and is currently doing graduate work at dc Talk’s alma mater, Liberty University.

The season six winner of American Idol will be announced live during a two hour event on CTV on Wednesday night. Check local listings for air times. You can find out more about Krippayne on his YMZ artist page.

In related “Idol” news, Season Five finalist Mandisa recently released the CD single Only The World in anticipation of her July 31st full-length debut project True Beauty. Only The World is priced at $2.99 or less at participating Canadian Christian retailers. Stay tuned to YourMusicZone.com as we bring you more on True Beauty next week.

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