Since shooting to stardom on the second season of American Idol, Clay Aiken, the Raleigh, NC, native with the powerhouse voice has become a international pop phenomenon who has sold six million albums. In addition, Aiken has launched eight live tours, made the New York Times best-seller list, and won several American Music and Billboard Music Awards. In January 2008, Aiken made his Broadway debut in the Tony Award-winning musical Monty Python's Spamalot. 　　 When Clay began the search for songs to record for Aiken's first album of original material since his 2003 chart-topping debut Measure of A Man, he fell in love with a song written by OneRepublic front man Ryan "Alias" Tedder called "On My Way Here." The message of the lyrics -- how the lessons we learn while growing up shape us into who we become as adults -- struck such a deep chord with Aiken that it wound up inspiring the theme (and title) of his new collection. 　　 To musically represent the album's lyrical theme, Aiken and Foster enlisted Grammy-Award winning British songwriter and producer Kipper, who has worked with Sting, Chris Botti, and Julia Fordham.