Season eight American Idol winner Kris Allen will be performing in the Performing Arts Center on Sept. 12, 2013. Allen will be one of the biggest artists to come to SDSU in quite some time.

Allen is most known for his 2009 hit Live Like We’re Dying and more recently, his 2012 single The Vision of Love. 

“We are trying to get bigger names on campus and having that name recognition is a big deal for our school,” said University Program Council Conference Coordinator Jayme Stoufer.

Allen has been admired for his missionary work and christian background. While attending the University of Central-Arkansas, he not only pursued a major in business, but partipated in missionary work in places such as Burma, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Spain, and Thailand. Allen dropped out of the University of Central-Arkansas to pursue music professionally. 

Rather than going back to school after performing in bars, Allen, a friend, and his brother auditioned for American Idol where only Allen made it through. 

Not only can Allen sing, but during his performances on American Idol, he became known for playing instruments of all types. With his wide variety of musical talent, Allen impressed the toughest judge in the competition, Simon Cowell.

Allen’s performance will be at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are being sold at Information Exchange. SDSU students are $10 and community members are $20.