Phillips was born on September 20, 1990. He grew up in Leesburg, Georgia. He has graduated from Albany Technical College with a major in Industrial Systems Technology but missed his graduation ceremony due to him being on American Idol. Before trying out for Idol, Phillips had once auditioned for the second season of America's Got Talent(however, unaired) but didn't make the finals of that show. Phillips had been working at his family's pawn store in nearby Albany, Georgia when he decided to try out for Idol.