Chris Daughtry a Role Model for Aspiring Korean Singers

Former "American Idol" contestant Chris Daughtry braved the odds to make his name as a singer, and now he is inspiring young Koreans with stars in their eyes to follow suit.

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The North Carolina native has four children to feed, but as he struggled to follow his dream, he was unable to find well-paying work and barely scraped by at an auto repair shop.

His looks were anything but photogenic, but his husky and powerful voice made him the audience favorite on the hit U.S. talent search show on Fox TV. Although he failed to win the top prize -- he was eliminated from the show's fifth season in 2006 as the fourth-ranked contestant -- the public could not get enough of his voice once they heard it.

A record deal with RCA quickly ensued, and Daughtry became one of the hottest stars to emerge from the program thanks to his magnetic voice.

He formed his own band called Daughtry in 2006 and has already sold around 17 million albums. He also recently released his third full-length album. During a phone interview with the Chosun Ilbo, the 32-year-old talked about the hardships he faced in establishing himself, but said he didn't think audience sympathy while he was appearing on the U.S. show explained his meteoric rise.

Daughtry said his family was the biggest motivation for his music, but he never considered that his engaging story compensated for his shortcomings as a performer. Pointing to his failure to finish first on "American Idol", he said lots of people in the U.S. have to wrestle with their own demons and hardships in chasing their dreams, and that he was no different.

He said he put all of his faith in his musical talents, and that these alone had catapulted him to success.

His latest album, "Break the Spell", contains 12 songs that demonstrate the full range of his talents despite all falling within the rock genre. The songs are reminiscent of various nostalgic rock bands from the 1980s and '90s, such as Bon Jovi and Skid Row.

Music critics say Daughtry's music has matured with each new album, and the singer is considered a role model for many aspiring singers in Korea who apply for talent search programs here.

By way of advice, the star said it is important to remember that nothing happens by chance, and that there are no short cuts to success. He urged Koreans who are interested in singing to try their hardest, never give up and be ready to seize opportunities when they present themselves.