Jennifer Hudson Details Her “Insane” Return to American Idol

by

Jennifer Hudson is living the dream, girl.

More than twenty years after becoming famous on season three of American Idol, actress Jennifer Hudson talked about how special it felt to return to the show as a guest judge on April 20th. It was a full-circle moment for her career.

Jennifer recently reflected on how quickly time has flown, telling TopMob News at the Eddie Murphy AFI Life Achievement Award taping that it’s surreal looking back on her career. “It’s crazy to think about how much time has passed,” she said. “I realized Idol was 22 years ago, and Dreamgirls was 20 years ago!” The tribute to Eddie Murphy will be available on Netflix May 31st.

The 44-year-old, who is also helping produce the new Broadway version of Dreamgirls, feels good about having time to do different things. She says she’s happy to return to Idol as a judge or advisor, and then focus on Dreamgirls and help give someone else a chance to shine.

Jennifer Hudson, the Academy Award winner, has consistently evolved throughout her career. Most recently, she started her own talk show, The Jennifer Hudson Show, in 2022, and it’s been so successful it’s already been renewed for a fifth season.

As for why she added a talk show to her full plate? 

Oh my gosh, it seriously means everything to me, like, as a person, an artist, everything! She told Viola Davis – Viola Davis! – in an interview that for years, people only knew the ‘performance’ of me, you know? Just the singer, or the characters I played. But this talk show? It finally let me be me. Just Jennifer, or Jenny Kate, the girl from Chicago’s South Side. It’s like… I could finally just be.

Plus, as Jennifer put it, “I love people.”

Jennifer explained that people often share their thoughts and feelings with her. She enjoys listening and finds inspiration in hearing different perspectives and life experiences. She sees these conversations as a way to learn and expand her own understanding of the world.

Jennifer isn’t the only successful contestant from American Idol. Here’s a look at what other former contestants are doing now.

Kelly Clarkson, mother to River and Remy, has achieved incredible success since her debut on the first season of American Idol in 2002. Based in New York, she’s won three Grammy Awards, had three songs reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, served as a judge on NBC’s The Voice, and is now wrapping up her final season of the award-winning The Kelly Clarkson Show.

The runner-up from season two of the show shared two significant announcements in September 2008: the birth of his son, Parker, with his friend and music producer Jaymes Foster, and his decision to come out as gay. He explained on Good Morning America that he didn’t want to raise his son to be dishonest or hide his true self, and he wanted to create a supportive environment where his son could be exactly who he is.

Since then, this well-known performer with red hair transitioned from a music career to politics, even running for Congress in 2016. After the election, he released a documentary detailing his life experiences. However, he hasn’t completely abandoned music, recently touring with season two winner Ruben Studdard in 2023 and 2024.

Ruben, the winner of season two of Idol, went on to achieve success with a Grammy nomination and several popular albums. In 2013, he appeared as a contestant on The Biggest Loser, quickly becoming a favorite among viewers. Although eliminated twice, he learned a lot from the experience. Despite remaining close with fellow Idol contestant Clay, Ruben found lasting love with his wife, Kristin, and they welcomed their second child in 2024.

The season three champion recently expressed gratitude for her entire career path. In a December 2023 interview with TopMob News, she explained, “Life has its ups and downs, you stumble, but you always get back up.” Despite facing challenges, she said it feels rewarding to have overcome obstacles and rebuilt her career.

Recently, she’s celebrated personal milestones as well, including the birth of her daughter, Keziah, with husband Kendall Taylor in 2021, and a Golden Globe nomination for her role in The Color Purple remake. The North Carolina native, who is also a mother to her adult daughter Zion, shared that she wants to savor this moment and acknowledge all the hard work she put in to achieve it.

Although she didn’t win season three of the competition, this musician has achieved incredible success! She won an Oscar for her role in the 2006 film Dreamgirls, a Grammy for her performance in the 2017 musical adaptation of The Color Purple, and even served as a judge on The Voice. Most recently, this mom to son David is launching her own talk show.

Carrie Underwood instantly became a pop culture icon when she appeared on Idol. She not only won season four, but has since become one of country music’s biggest stars.

For over a decade, she also co-hosted the CMA Awards alongside Brad Paisley. In addition to her successful music career and hosting duties, Carrie is a mother to two sons with her husband, retired hockey player Mike Fisher.

Carrie Underwood will be joining the judging panel of American Idol in 2024, taking over for Katy Perry.

The former American Idol runner-up is now married with four children – three sons and a daughter. Although he faced significant health issues in 2006, he’s continued to release successful albums since appearing on the show.

Constantine, known for his powerful voice and memorable performance of “Bohemian Rhapsody” on season four of a singing competition, transitioned seamlessly to Broadway, even earning a Tony nomination for his role in Rock of Ages. The father of Malena, born in 2010, continued his stage career with a starring role in the 2023 production of Rock & Roll Man.

Following his win on season five, the singer released a platinum-selling album and appeared in a Broadway production of Grease. In 2016, he transitioned to television, hosting State-Plate, a show centered around locally sourced food. Despite his TV work, he still loves music and continues to perform in concerts.

Before Justin Bieber captivated audiences, Katharine McPhee gained attention through what some called “McPheever,” which launched her career in both singing and acting. She’s best known for her roles in the TV shows Smash and Scorpion.

Married to David Foster since 2019, Katharine is now a mother to her son, Rennie, who shows a passion for music. In a 2023 interview with TopMob News, she shared her hope that Rennie will become proficient in various instruments, just like his father. However, she emphasized that they aren’t pressuring him, but rather letting him explore his interests naturally. She believes he’s already well on his way to developing a strong musical foundation.

Following his appearance on American Idol, season five finalist Elliott Yamin, known for his hit song “Wait for You,” traveled to Angola. There, he teamed up with former Idol judge Kara DioGuardi to support Malaria No More. In 2010, Yamin also gained attention for surviving the earthquake in Chile and sharing his experience on Twitter. He continues to make music and is a father to Camilla, with Karen Cruz.

Kellie Pickler gained recognition after placing sixth on the fifth season of American Idol. She also appeared in Hallmark’s Christmas in Graceland and received three Daytime Emmy nominations for her TV show, Pickler & Ben.

Following the tragic death of her husband, Kyle Jacobs, in February 2023, Pickler shared a lesson he had taught her. In times of crisis, he advised simply “do nothing, just be still,” and she told People magazine in 2023 that she was choosing to follow his guidance.

The winner of season six made a big impact in 2007 as the youngest female to ever win the competition. She followed up her victory with a 35-city tour and, just a few years later, made her Broadway debut in the musical In the Heights. Her success continued when she welcomed her first son with Dana Isaiah in May 2018. Since then, she’s returned to Idol and competed on season 31 of Dancing With the Stars.

David, the season seven winner known for his hit song “Time of My Life,” has experienced success both on and off the stage. In 2010, he traveled to Ethiopia with the United Nations to support their work empowering women. He also participated in the Race for Hope in Washington D.C., raising funds for brain cancer research in memory of his brother, Adam, who passed away in 2009. Married to Racheal Stump since 2015, David continues to tour and released his latest single, “TABOS,” in 2022.

After placing second on season seven of a singing competition alongside another contestant named David, he spent two years serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chile. He resumed performing after returning in 2014.

He publicly came out as LGBTQ+ in June 2021. In an October 2023 Instagram post, he shared, “It’s been a beautiful journey learning to accept myself,” and expressed hope that living authentically would inspire others to do the same.

While Adam Lambert received a lot of attention as the runner-up, season eight winner David Cook has steadily found success with his second album, also titled David Cook. Released in November 2009, the album reached number 11 on the Billboard 200 chart, and his single “I Need to Know” was used in an episode of The Vampire Diaries. Outside of music, Cook has been focused on family, and he and his high school sweetheart, Katy O’Connell, now have three children.

The eighth season’s runner-up has undeniably achieved major success after the show. He’s released multiple albums, gone on headlining tours, and earned numerous award nominations. He’s even followed in the footsteps of Freddie Mercury by becoming the lead singer for Queen and appeared in Fox’s remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He also briefly served as a guest judge on Idol and kicked off the 2019 Oscars with a performance of Queen’s iconic songs, “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions.”

Danny Gokey married Leyicet Peralta in 2012, following his appearance on season eight of American Idol. They now have four children together.

Danny Gokey, a three-time Grammy nominee, released the Christian music album Jesus People in 2021. He’s also the founder of Danny Gokey Eyewear, a brand selling glasses and sunglasses.

Following his appearance as a top 10 finalist on the summer tour in 2010, the season nine winner began his career as a solo musician. He married model and actress Jonna Walsh in 2012, after meeting her while filming his first music video after Idol. Today, he’s a successful singer-songwriter whose music has been featured in popular shows like The Walking Dead.

The singer, who finished as a runner-up on season nine of a singing competition, married musician Brian Walker and released her debut album, Farmer’s Daughter, in December 2010. Although her record label folded, she later made her acting debut on the second season of the TV show Body of Proof.

In May 2013, she and her husband separated. Following their divorce, she described her second album, All That For This, as a reflection of a new phase in her life in an interview with The Boot.

As a lifestyle observer, I remember when Scotty McCreery made history as the first American Idol winner since Ruben Studdard to launch his debut album, Clear as Day, straight to the top of the Billboard 200 chart! He really hit the ground running, earning New Artist of the Year at the 2011 American Country Awards and even performing the national anthem at the World Series that same year. Life has been wonderful for him outside of music too. He married his longtime love, Gabi Dugal, back in June 2018, and they welcomed their adorable son, Avery, in October 2022. It’s lovely to see such success both professionally and personally!

Though she placed second on the show, this country singer quickly landed a record deal and released her first album, Wildflower, in October 2011. After appearing on Idol, she shared the stage with the winner at the CMT Music Awards, made her debut performance at the Grand Ole Opry, and even performed alongside Martina McBride at the CMA Music Festival.

In 2017, she received her first CMA nomination for Best New Artist thanks to the success of her album, Road Less Traveled. She also expanded her career to acting, starring in a film with the same title.

More recently, the singer announced her engagement to Cam Arnold while performing at the Grand Ole Opry in November 2022, and they were married in February 2024.

Although he only placed sixth on season ten of the show, he quickly became a fan favorite. He joined the Idols Live tour and recorded a duet of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” with fellow contestant Haley Reinhart, with whom he was rumored to be romantically involved. Eventually, he signed with the Concord jazz label.

He released his first self-titled album in 2012, followed by I Put A Spell On You in 2018 and Jazz in 2019.

Jimmie Allen was eliminated from American Idol before the live shows in season 10, but he’s since become a successful country artist with two chart-topping songs: “Best Shot” in 2018 and “Make Me Want To.” He also won the Country Music Association Award for New Artist of the Year in 2021.

In April 2023, Jimmie and his wife, Alexis Allen, announced they were expecting their third child while simultaneously ending their two-year marriage. Shortly after, Jimmie was accused of sexual assault and abuse by his former manager in a lawsuit. He admitted to having an affair and publicly apologized to Alexis for the embarrassment it caused, but denied the allegations of misconduct, claiming the relationship with his former manager was consensual.

After welcoming their son, Cohen Ace James, in September, the couple announced they were working to reconcile their marriage.

Following his victory on season 11, the musician quickly gained popularity with his song “Home,” which was also featured in NBC’s broadcast of the 2012 Summer Olympics.

In 2015, he married Hannah Blackwell in a private ceremony with loved ones. They later had a son named Patch in 2019.

Before releasing her album Whirlwind in 2019, a year after winning season 16 of Idol, the artist told TopMob News that the album features a wide variety of musical styles. She explained that she didn’t want to limit herself to just one sound, as she enjoyed experimenting with different approaches.

Since finishing as a finalist on season 16 of the show, the singer has been busy making new music and taking advantage of the opportunities that came with being on ABC. Caleb Lee told TopMob News he’s always been passionate about music and dreamed of being a performer, but the show taught him a lot about the entertainment industry. He even had the chance to join Luke Bryan on stage during his final tour concert. His newest album, Southern Galactic, came out in October 2023.

Following her third-place finish on season 16 of Idol, singer Gabby Barrett dedicated herself to completing her album. She expressed her excitement about performing at Stagecoach and called touring with Brad Paisley a fantastic bonus. “It’s amazing to be touring with him,” she told TopMob News.

Gabby and her husband, Cade Foehner, who also appeared on Idol, welcomed their first child, daughter Baylah, almost two years ago. They then added son Augustine to their family in October 2022, and welcomed their third child in February 2024.

Read More

2026-04-21 02:21