Formed in 2003, the neo-grunge outfit Pray for the Soul of Betty called New York City home. Guitarist João Joya, born in Brazil, had previously joined forces with drummer Michael Hambroussi in the obscure group Cohiba, while bassist Taylor C.R.—Hambroussi’s bandmate from yet another fleeting project called Clyde—rounded out the original trio. Honoring Taylor’s late aunt, the band’s name took shape, and the members promptly launched auditions for a lead singer. After sifting through roughly 150 candidates, the three musicians settled on Constantine Maroulis, an up-and-coming vocalist and performer whose prior credits included work on the 2000 stage production Suburban Dreams. Late that year Maroulis landed a role in the touring production of the hit Broadway show Rent, prompting Pray for the Soul of Betty to launch a simultaneous club trek across the United States that kept the group on the road once his evening performances concluded. During the summer of 2004 Maroulis journeyed to Washington, D.C., for an audition on Fox’s popular talent competition American Idol. As the season progressed he became a viewer favorite and widely recognized figure, tallying more than 35 million votes before his elimination on April 27, 2005. The program’s massive reach also boosted Pray for the Soul of Betty’s visibility, leading Koch Records to issue the group’s self-titled debut album in spring 2005—a collection assembled from material tracked across the preceding two years. Maroulis’s celebrity nonetheless overshadowed the band, and following his guest spots on the various-artists sets American Idol Season 4: The Showstoppers and Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen, he formally departed Pray for the Soul of Betty in March 2006 over creative differences.
