Kyle Ensley

Kyle Ensley was born in Paris, Texas, and raised on a cattle ranch in nearby Valliant, Oklahoma. He began singing as a child in his hometown's Southern Baptist Church. During his junior year of college, he auditioned for Season 7 of American Idol in Dallas, where he became an early fan favorite. Kyle was sent through to Hollywood, where made it to the end of Hollywood week and the Top 25, before being eliminated at the strong objection of Simon Cowell. Kyle made subsequent appearances on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, where he performed Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up." On both shows, Kyle mentioned his interest in politics, and Simon Cowell remarked that he could be the future President of the United States. Kyle has since acted on "House of Cards" as a congressional aide and "VEEP" as a campaign staffer. Shortly before auditioning for American Idol, Kyle was awarded a Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship from the U.S. Department of State. After American Idol, Kyle graduated from Oklahoma State University, and then attended Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, where he earned a Master's Degree in Public Policy in 2011. After graduating from Harvard he became a diplomat in the U.S. Foreign Service with postings in Washington, D.C., The Bahamas, and the United Arab Emirates.