Rudy Cardenas is no stranger to the stage.

But he is a stranger to taking it by himself.

The American Idol finalist has been the lead singer for the band M-Pact, which won Billboard’s prestigious “Best Unsigned Band” contest and subsequently signed with indie specialty label Primarily A Capella.

Rudy graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a major in vocal performance. As seen on last night's American Idol auditions, he's been able to turn this talent into a trip to the show's final 24.At least.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.