Best in 2012: Entertainers

Siobhan's Top Sixteen Entertainers in 2012

	1. Victoria Justice: No surprise there, right? Seriously, between her new music, the recent episodes of VICTORiOUS, and her continued clean-cut image, Victoria continues to delight.  As I always say: Go, Team TORi!
	2. Kerrie Roberts: A Christian singer who is relatively new on the scene, she has some wonderful songs, especially "Outcast," which resembles me more than any CCM track since Scott Krippayne's "I'm Not Cool".  You should definitely check this lady out.
	3. Lori Beth Denberg: Okay, so she may have faded into obscurity by now, but her role on Nickelodeon's All That had me laughing out loud during the brief time it was on Nick at Nite alongside Kenan and Kel.  Seriously, they should put it back on the line-up.  Are you listening, Viacom executives?
	4. Angus T. Jones: I am not a fan of Two and a Half Men; in fact, I've only seen Mr. Jones in the David Arquette comedy See Spot Run.  Still, his public declaration of faith, and outcry against the tawdriness of today's media, is definitely admirable.  One can only hope that other stars follow in his footsteps.
	5. Frank Peretti: A perennial favorite author of mine, he blew me away once again with this year's Illusion.  I'm excited to see what else Mr. Peretti can come up with in the coming years.
	6. Kevin Max: Mr. Max has been among my favorite celebrities since 2000, before anyone even cared about Hilary, Anne, or Victoria.  His boldly different take on everything, including his music, has made me a big fan, and now that he is part of the newly reformed Audio Adrenaline, I'm expecting even greater things from him.
	7. Dan Schneider: You may not recognize him, but you most likely know his works!  Mr. Schneider has created many popular Nickelodeon series, from All That to Drake & Josh to iCarly to, yes, VICTORiOUS.  Though his two most recent creations may be on their way out, I'm sure that he will come up with more hilarious material that will keep audiences all over the planet doubled over in laughter.
	8. V*Enna: Who are they, you ask? Lucy Britten and Sharnessa Shelton, collectively known as V*Enna, were a Christian pop duo who released their sole album, Where I Wanna Be, in 2000.  Though they disbanded years ago and have since faded into obscurity, I haven't been able to get enough of their music.  Their tracks have gotten well over four hundred plays in the past 1.5 years on my iTunes; for such a small catalog, that's remarkable!
	9. Siobhan Magnus: My all-time favorite American Idol contestant, Ms. Magnus was decidedly different than others on the show.  Though she was only in sixth place--unfairly, I might add!--she released her debut album, Moonbaby, on iTunes this year, and, I have to say: It was surprisingly good.  Where she really surprised me was on the track "Escape Goat," which had a country/pop feel, and her cover of Sinéad O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U".  I hear she has recently joined a rock band; let's hope for more good stuff from her in 2013.
	10. Ted Dekker: One of Christian fiction's best-known authors, Mr. Dekker continues to blow away readers everywhere with his wonderfully gripping tales.  He recently began a new series; my hopes for it and his other later works are pretty high!
	11. Jude Watson: I've probably read more books by Ms. Watson--also known as Judy Blundell--this year than any other author.  That's because I've read the last two-thirds of her Jedi Apprentice series, as well as the all but the last Jedi Quest, since we rang in 2012.  Though her books may be "kiddie" novels, they have more depth to them than the average Disney Channel novelization; I know, I've read some of them.
	12. Robin Jones Gunn: If Jude Watson is my most-read author of 2012, Mrs. Gunn comes in second.  Between her Sierra Jensen series, which I practically devoured, and her Christy Miller books, her writings simply entertain and inspire.
	13. B*Witched: A secular pop group from years ago? It may sound weird, but their wonderful cover of Toni Basil's "Mickey," and their pop stylings on Awake and Breathe, make them a better alternative to the tawdry garbage that is heaped on audiences from the likes of Britney Spears and Katy Perry.  It's too bad they didn't make it bigger with American audiences.
	14. Miranda Cosgrove: From School of Rock, to Drake & Josh, to iCarly, Ms. Cosgrove may be younger than me, but she is a screen veteran, and she has the acting chops to prove it.  What her post-Carly Shay plans are, I have no idea, but I'm sure we can expect great things from her in the future.
	15. Alexa Vega: Why I used to despise her, I have no idea, but, after watching her in Broken Hill and the first two Spy Kids flicks, I have to give her some credit.  Ms. Vega is a very talented actress, no question.
	16. Emily Osment: I'm not much of a Hannah Montana fan, but, after hearing Ms. Osment's songs "You Are the Only One," "Lovesick," and "All the Way Up," I was ready to say, "Miley who?"  She also is a great actress, as can be seen in the Disney Channel Original Movie Dadnapped.