Carly Hennessy auditioned for American Idol. Simon Fuller, the talent agent who has a genius flair for turning anybody into a popular celebrity agreed, but there was only one condition. Carly needed to change her name. So Carly Hennessy switched to her married name which was Carly Smithson. Then Simon Fuller made a second decision. Carly Smithson was no longer allowed to sing Madonna style dance music. From now on, she'll only be packaged as a heavy metal and punk rock musician.
So Carly Smithson became a contestent on the seventh season of American Idol despite the fact that she already released an album under her maiden name. She never made it to the top four. She was kicked off almost nearly halfway through. When Ben Moody, Rocky Grey and John LeCompt dropped out of Amy Lee's rock band Evanescence, the three men decided to create an Evanescence-like heavy metal band. The name of the new heavy metal band was We Are the Fallen (The debut album of Evanescence was entitled Fallen). However, Ben Moody, Rocky Grey and John LeCompt can't start their Evanescence-like heavy metal band to prove to Amy Lee that they can function without her without a female lead singer. Thankfully, Ben Moody saw the entire seventh season of American Idol. Ben Moody came upon a brillient idea. Why not hire Carly Smithson to be the lead singer of his Evanescence-like heavy Metal band called We Are the Fallen. And so with Carly Smithson leading the charge, Ben Moody, Rocky Grey and John LeCompt released the debut album of We Are the Fallen entitled Tear the World Down. Although Carly Smithson is now permenently typecased as a heavy metal punk rock chick, the debut album of We Are the Fallen entitled Tear the World Down wasn't successful enough and the band was dropped by Universal Republic Records. Not to worry because Carly Smithson, Moody, Rocky Grey and John LeCompt will release the second We Are the Fallen album soon---As soon as they find another record contract from a brand new recording company.