Jennifer Hudson and Clay Aiken were saved by the wildcard rounds on American Idol. The voters don’t always get it right and in the first 3 seasons the judges, and in Season 2 America, brought back contestants that should have stayed in the competition. This year American Idol resurrects the Wildcard.
January 14, 2009
Jennifer Hudson: The Season 3 finalist may have been knocked out of the Idol-dome fairly early in the competition — she placed seventh — but Hudson has gone on to make quite a name for herself. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Effie in 2006’s ”Dreamgirls” and has starred in three more films — ”Sex and the City,” ”Winged Creatures” and ”The Secret Life of Bees.” Her debut album is up for four Grammys in February.
But life has been hard. The singer made headlines of the worst kind in October 2008, when her mother, brother and nephew were shot to death, allegedly by the estranged husband of Hudson’s sister.
Clay Aiken: Thanks to a splashy People magazine cover in September 2008, we all now know that he is a proud, gay dad. Aiken had a child with his friend and record producer, Jaymes Foster (sister of multiple Grammy winner David Foster). Aiken has had a hugely successful singing career, releasing five albums and headlining nine tours to date. He is known for his charitable and humanitarian work including a UNICEF Ambassador position since 2004. He also just finished his critically acclaimed run on Broadway starring as Sir Robin in ”Monty Python’s Spamalot.”
Chris Daughtry: Daughtry is yet another example of how stars can succeed without winning the title. The rocker may have left Season 5 in fourth place but his debut album became the fastest-selling debut rock album in the soundscan era and went on to earn four Grammy nominations. Daughtry is back in the studio recording a new album, to be released some time in the spring.
Kellie Pickler: The season 5 sweetie is definitely a country princess. After finishing sixth, Pickler signed with BNA Records and released ”Small Town Girl” in 2006. She’s now promoting her second venture, ”Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful.” Pickler co-wrote her new single, ”Best Days of Your Life” with her best friend, Taylor Swift.
David Archuleta: Snagged the second place spot last season, despite the best efforts of his so-called ”Archie’s Angels,” but the world didn’t have to wait long to hear his first single, ”Crush,” on the airwaves. Released in late 2008, ”Crush” and Archuleta’s freshman album reached No. 2 on the Billboard Charts. Oh, the irony.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Preview Clay Aiken’s Tried and True Album
- Clay Aiken Notches Another First
- Clay and Ruben Hitting the Road
- Jennifer Hudson: One Shining Moment
- Jennifer Hudson Sets Wedding Date
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