Born Efryam Elliott Yamin in Los Angeles to a Jewish American mother and Israeli father; despite ear problems, - Elliott is a juvenile diabetic and 90 percent deaf in his right ear - young Elliot began to sing at age five; but only to friends and family. Too shy to perform to crowds Yamin never seriously considered music as a serious career. In high school in Virginia Yamin joined the school choir because their were a lot of cute girls in the choir. He lip-synced his way through the choir. Feeling music was not a career choice Yamin went restlessly from job to job trying to find his place. Eventually friends talked Yamin into participating in a local Idol contest – which he won. Yamin began to dabble in music still not taking things seriously. Convinced he had nothing to lose, Yamin auditioned for American Idol. In the end it was Idol and superstar Stevie Wonder who made Yamin believe he could succeed in music. Although he was eliminated the week before the finals by the closest vote American Idol has ever seen, American Idol judge Simon Cowell – Yamin's favourite judge – proclaimed that Elliott Yamin had potentially the best male voice in the history of American Idol.

This sweet faced Jewish boy from American Idol has grown up. Like other Idol contestants once the show is over the artists come out of their shells and show their true talents. Yamin is no exception. The album is full of songs about love and devotion; many are of a fast paced mainstream pop nature and syncopated rhythms not usually seen on Idol. Among the songs is a composition by John Mayer. Yamin's only link to his performances on American Idol – a show that Yamin says he is forever in debt to – is the Leon Russell classic "A Song for You" which Yamin closes the album with.

It wasn't until American Idol that Elliott Yamin discovered that he is at home on a stage and his search for a suitable career is over. In his song "Free", Yamin says that miracles happen when we let ourselves be free.