What Happened to These American Idol Stars Since They Won

‘American Idol’ has seen hundreds of contestants over the years and has created some of the most beloved stars. It turns out the most memorable American Idol contestants have been up to a lot over the years.

There are TV shows, and then there’s ‘American Idol.’ The show first hit our screens back in June 2002 and brought something entirely new to the small screen. The reality competition show sees some of the best voices from across the nation come together as contestants compete to make it all the way to the final. If they have the talent, charm, and – most importantly – the vocals to win the competition, then these stars are in for a treat. As well as reportedly getting a huge payout, the winners also get their own record album and another payout when they complete their first album.

Throughout the years, we have seen a huge number of stars make their way through ‘American Idol.’ In fact, it was so popular that the show was brought back after it went on hiatus in 2015. Now, most experts agree that ‘American Idol’ is one of the most influential and largest shows ever to take America by storm. That’s not all. Seeing so many contestants reach their dreams and wave goodbye to the stage means that plenty of us have fallen in love with some of the faces from the show. So what have they been up to since getting their golden ticket?

Ruben Studdard has released several albums and almost won a Grammy

It was no surprise to many that Ruben Studdard walked away victorious from season two of ‘American Idol’ as his gospel tones captivated people across the nation. It turns out that winning the show was just the beginning for this star. Ruben has continued to wow his fans with no less than seven studio albums and a Grammy nomination for his work.

That’s not all that’s kept Ruben busy. Some people may recognize the star from his time on the reality show ‘The Biggest Loser’? Ruben appeared in the series in 2013, where he lost a whopping 119 pounds before he was eliminated in week eight. It certainly seems as though this memorable ‘American Idol’ star has used his fame to further his career in recent years.

David Archuleta took a break from music to work as a missionary

While most of us were getting up to no good at 16, this baby-faced singer was earning millions of fans from across the globe thanks to his impressive performances on ‘American Idol.’ We can only be talking about one person: David Archuleta. He appeared in the second season of the show, and many thought that David could go all the way.

Sadly, he lost out on the top spot, but this singer didn’t let it get him down. Over the years, David has acted in a handful of shows, such as the sitcoms ‘Hannah Montana’ and ‘iCarly.’ He’s even released his eighth studio album at the beginning of 2020. However, when he’s not singing, David was busy taking a two-year break to work as a missionary in Chile.

Jennifer Hudson is the only contestant to win a Grammy and an Oscar

Believe it or not, but Jennifer Hudson only placed seventh in the third season of ‘American Idol.’ Yes, really. That hasn’t stopped Jennifer from becoming one of the most successful people to ever appear on the show – and the only contestant to ever get their hands on a Grammy and an Oscar. It turns out Jennifer is more talented than many of us believed as the girl can act, too.

She has even taken her talents to the stage as Jennifer’s appeared in Broadway shows such as ‘The Color Purple.’ When she’s not working on her three studio albums or taking the world by storm, Jennifer was also a judge on the US and UK versions of the singing talent show ‘The Voice’ from 2017 to ‘19.

Syesha Mercado has enjoyed a rollercoaster career since American Idol

2008 was filled with memorable moments, including the time Syesha Mercado took home this place in the seventh season of ‘American Idol.’ It turns out this wasn’t the contestant’s first time trying to make it as a singer as Syesha had already appeared on the reality shows ‘Florida Super Singer’ and ‘The One: Making a Music Star’ before she turned to the best for a chance at the high life.

In 2009, Syesha’s life took another turn when she was offered the chance of a lifetime: an opportunity to perform as a Dreamgirl in the Broadway show. Although this made her even more famous than before, Syesha now spends most of her time sharing her passion for mindfulness, crystals, and meditation.

Clay Aiken turned his hand to politics after coming second on the show

It seems that Clay Aiken is used to coming runner up thanks to his years of practice. It all started on the second season of the show when Clay dramatically lost to Reuben Studdard, but he managed to get his own back with the release of his first studio album. The result? ‘Measure of a Man’ debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.

‘American Idol’ wasn’t Clay’s last stint in reality TV as he appeared in ‘The Celebrity Apprentice’ in 2012. Just one year later, things took another turn as clay decided to run for Congress. This isn’t a usual move for contestants from the show, and it almost paid off. Unfortunately, it was second place once again as Clay just missed out on landing his place.

Paul McDonald was already in a band when he auditioned for American Idol

Season ten of ‘American Idol’ welcomed Paul McDonald onto the scene. The memorable contestant wowed many people with plenty of his own songs and even helped his bandmates find fame. That’s right; Paul had already been playing with The Grand Magnolias for a year before he decided to break out and try and build a solo career for himself.

Even though he tried to get away from the band for a time, Paul is still the lead singer for the group, and they’ve gone from strength to strength ever since. The musician was married to actress Nikki Reed for a period, but they ultimately parted ways in 2014. Some rumors claim that Paul is now dating actress Emily Kinney. Perhaps it’s second time’s the charm?

Caleb Johnson formed his own band after winning American Idol in 2014

2014 was a huge year for Caleb Johnson. Not only was he a part of one of the biggest shows in the nation, but he was so popular that Caleb won first place. He still holds the record for releasing the quickest album after his win – something Caleb wears with pride. The singer made it to the top on his own.

However, Caleb found further fame touring with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in 2018. The group rocked their shows with progressive metal before Caleb finally took the plunge and formed his own band just one year later. Now, he is the lead face of Caleb Johnson and the Ramblin’ Saints, a band that’s got lots of people excited in the last few months.

Justin Guarini has been the face of Dr. Pepper for many years

There has to be the first everything with every new show, and Justin Guarini went down in history as the first runner up on the show. He lost out on the top spot to Kelly Clarkson, but that wasn’t the last time the pair got to work together. They quickly went on to make the rom-con ‘From Justin to Kelly,’ a movie that won the Golden Raspberry Award and is often considered one of the worst films of all time.

Thankfully, things have since turned around. Justin’s released two studio albums and spent the rest of his time working on various Broadway shows. Think you recognize this star? That might be thanks to his time as Lil’ Sweet – aka the face of Dr. Pepper since 2015.

Constantine Maroulis has received millions of streams over the years

Life has been tough for Constantine Maroulis ever since he appeared in season four of ‘American Idol.’ The contestant eventually walked away in sixth place and instantly released his debut solo album, creatively named ‘Constantine.’ It didn’t take long for the singer to find plenty of work on Broadway and even earned a Tony Award nomination for his work on stage.

However, in 2015, news emerged that Constantine had been arrested for assaulting his girlfriend, Angel Reed. Just one week later, he was arrested again for sending Angel emails, but the charges were eventually dropped. The news doesn’t seem to have affected Constantine’s musical career, as he announced on social media that his songs were streamed over two million times in 2020.

Carrie Underwood is one of the most successful American Idol winners of all time

Okay, we have to admit that Carrie Underwood is one of the most successful and memorable ‘American Idol’ stars to ever appear on the show. The country-loving contestant appeared in the fourth season, and it wasn’t long before she walked away with the top spot. Now, Carrie is known for telling stories in her music, selling millions of records, and winning no less than seven Grammys.

In 2015, Carrie revealed to Parade that appearing on the show was actually pretty hard because “I had never been away from my hometown.” Thankfully, Carrie overcame her fears and has reaped the rewards ever since. ‘Some Hearts’ is still the best-selling country and solo female debut album of all time. That’s quite the title.

Kris Allen has inspired his fans to be more charitable over the years

The eighth season of ‘American Idol’ was tough as Kris Allen battled to try and take the top spot. Ultimately, he won – and he’s been pretty busy since. Kris spends most of his time working on his studio albums and now has a staggering six to his name. That’s not all. The singer also walked down the aisle with his childhood sweetheart and has welcomed three children.

When he’s not working on music, Kris is often traveling the globe. No, he’s not on tour; Kris actually works as a missionary. So far, he has traveled to the likes of Rwanda, Haiti, and Kenya to help those in need. His work has inspired even Kris’ fans as they’ve donated thousands to charity in his name.

Sanjaya Malakar spent all his money shortly after competing on American Idol

There have been a few ‘American Idol’ controversies over the years. Sanjaya Malakar’s time on the show is often one that comes to mind. The singer appeared on the show’s sixth season, but Simon Cowell made it no secret that he didn’t want him there. Many people were sad to see Sanjaya go as he finally walked away in seventh place.

His heartthrob status earned Sanjaya plenty of fans and a small fortune. The reality? Sanjaya later said that he was young and “didn’t know anything” as the money was gone in just a few years. By 2012, the musician was forced to find work as a bartender. Thankfully, Sanjaya has bounced back and now works in theater, all without his famous flowing locks.

Diana Degarmo married a fellow contestant shortly after appearing on American Idol

Time has welcomed plenty of changes for Diana Degarmo. Her brown-blonde hair is gone, but thankfully, her voice remains the same. In fact, Diana has been working hard on her career ever since her time on season three of ‘American Idol’ and has become a regular on Broadway. From ‘Hair’ to ‘West Side Story’ and just about everything in between, it seems that Diana has appeared in it all.

Her singing experience isn’t the only thing she took from the show. Diana actually met and fell for Ace Young after he appeared on the show’s fifth season, and the pair have been married for seven years. The best bit? When they’re not leaving couples green with envy, they’re acting together in ‘Grease.’

Haley Reinhart ended up behind bars after an altercation in 2018

Of course, Hollywood has seen plenty of good girls gone bad throughout the years, but Haley Reinhart was one many fans never thought would change. She first became a household name in season ten of the show, and many fans thought she would go far. Amazingly, Haley didn’t let them down, as she’s released a host of songs throughout her career.

The singer has even collaborated with the likes of Jeff Goldblum and Postmodern Jukebox. However, in 2018, Haley ended up behind bars after she assaulted a bouncer. She pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay $139 to cover court costs and a $500 fine. Haley even had to sign up for a two-year probation period and seems to have stayed out of trouble since.

Jordin Sparks is still the youngest person ever to win American Idol

Jordin Sparks set ‘American Idol’ history in 2007 when she was crowned the winner at just 17 years old. She is still the youngest person to walk away with the title and has used her fame to her advantage ever since. People across the planet have fallen for Jordin for various reasons – and it’s not just thanks to her impressive vocals.

It turns out that Jordin also knows how to act and has become a real talent to watch on Broadway. She did step away from her personal music for a time as Jordin welcomed her first child and appeared in several stage shows. One of Jordin’s most famous – and favorite – roles came in 2019 when she played the leading role in ‘Waitress.’

Katharine McPhee’s relationship has raised a few eyebrows over the years

Did you know that season five of ‘American Idol’ is the most successful of all time when it comes to the viewing numbers? It can be easy to forget that Katharine McPhee was even a part of the show, but she was the runner up that helped draw in so many viewers from across the nation.

The singer might have come in second place, but she still honors her time on ‘American Idol’ by recreating looks. Katharine has spent most of her time acting in a handful of successful shows and working on Broadway. However, it’s her relationship that’s got people talking. In 2019, she walked down the aisle with music legend David Foster and is now expecting her first baby despite their 35-year age difference.

Kellie Pickler eventually earned her own talk show after American Idol

She might have come in sixth place in the fifth season, but Kellie Pickler has made quite the career for herself over the years. In fact, she is a huge name in the world of country music with four albums to her name and a host of tours and hit singles. ‘American Idol’ was just the beginning.

In 2013, Kellie was one of the many contestants on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and did a lot better than her first run on TV as she walked away with the Mirrorball Trophy. That was all the world needed to thrust Kellie Pickler even further into the spotlight as her popularity eventually landed her own talk show with Ben Aaron. ‘Pickler and Ben’ ran for two years until 2019.

Lauren Alaina reached new levels of fame after Dancing with the Stars

It’s a common theme for country singers to do well on ‘American Idol.’ Perhaps it’s no surprise that Lauren Alaina nearly won the show? Sadly, she ended up taking second place, but that wasn’t the last the world saw of Lauren. In 2019, she had the pleasure of heading on tour with Blake Shelton and has released two studio albums since her time on the show.

Lauren found herself back at the center of the hustle and bustle in 2019 as she signed up to ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ Although her rhythm seemed to work in her favor, Lauren ultimately walked away in fourth place. Her time on the show certainly earned Lauren plenty of new fans, especially on her social media pages.

Corey Clark stepped away from fame after several run-ins with the law

Several people have earned their place as the most memorable ‘American Idol’ stars of all time, but not all of them are for the right reasons. Take Corey Clark. The contestant appeared in season two before he was disqualified from the show. Why? There were rumors that Corey and his judge, Paula Abdul, had got a little too close throughout their rehearsals.

That was just the beginning of the trouble for the star as he’s been in and out of prison ever since. Throughout the years, Corey has been arrested for violating court orders, battery charges, and bad checks, among other things. While it’s reported Corey did try to make a singing career for himself, it seems he’s now stepped away from the limelight.

Taylor Hicks found a new career in food after winning American Idol

Soothing tones and silver locks. That can only be the mark of one ‘American Idol’ contestant: Taylor Hicks. The silver fox made it all the way to the finale of season five and quickly bagged himself the crown. It didn’t take long for Taylor’s music career to take off as he released albums, worked on Broadway, and even became the first ‘American Idol’ contestant to land a long-term Las Vegas residency.

Taylor started his show in June 2012 and sang all the way through to January 2013. The singer does still dip in and out of the music scene. However, Taylor’s also found a new passion in life. He opened his own diner and has been the host of his food show ‘State Plate’ since 2016.

Scotty McCreery turned to sports commentary shortly after American Idol

‘American Idol’ sees people from across the nation make their way to the stage. Scotty McCreery was one of the many who tried out for season ten of the show and made it all the way to the crown when he was just 17 years old. It didn’t take long for Scotty to release his debut album, a continued theme as the musician has a further three to his name.

Life got even busier for Scotty when he popped the question to his longtime girlfriend in 2017. Things took a different turn in 2013 as Scotty was asked to commentate on the Major League Baseball season. Although Scotty hasn’t returned to the gig, he does continue to post about sports on social media.

David Cook has reappeared on American Idol throughout the years

Did you know that David Cook had already recorded and released music before his win on ‘American Idol’? That’s right; his win did nothing but boost his popularity as David now has a platinum album under his belt and three further records. However, it seems the singer prefers a live audience as many now recognize David from his time on Broadway.

From 2018 to ‘19, David donned long red boots as the star of ‘Kinky Boots’ and appeared to love every moment. Now, David is such a memorable ‘American Idol’ star that he’s often asked to perform throughout the seasons. Starring on the show really was just the beginning for David Cook. Oh, how far he has come over the years!

Jena Irene has been in trouble thanks to her social media posts

Many of us love a wildcard contestant, right? Jena Irene earned that title in season 13 as she became the first female wildcard contestant to make it to the final. She eventually walked away in second place and quickly started work on her debut album. Many fans wanted to keep up to date with the star, but not everyone has been impressed with Jena’s posts over the years.

Her social media is filled with plenty of selfies. However, it’s her brand deal that’s caused a lot of backlash. That’s because Jena has teamed up with a brand that promotes products that use illicit substances. Now, many people think that Jena is a bad influence on her younger fans and impressionable audience.

Camile Velasco now performs under a new name and continues to release music

It was no secret that Camile Velasco wanted a taste of the high life. The Filipino singer hailed from Hawaii, where she was stuck working at an IHOP. She believed that she had what it took to take it all the way and many fans backed Camile as soon as she earned her golden ticket in season three.

Sadly, Camile ended up in ninth place, but that wasn’t the end – it was just the beginning. The musician has stuck to her goals and now has a highly successful music career to her name. However, you won’t find her under the name Camile. No, you’ll have to search for her stage name, Eli-Mac, if you want to hear what this memorable star has been up to.

William Hung is one of the most memorable American Idol stars of all time

If there’s one thing that many of us remember from 2004, it’s William Chung’s rendition of Ricky Martin’s ‘She Bangs’ on ‘American Idol.’ Although he never made it to the recording studio thanks to the show, William did strike a chord with viewers and instantly became one of the most memorable stars from the show.

In the end, the singer decided to drop out of school to focus on his music career and released a few albums in his time. However, it wasn’t a permanent move as William retired from music in 2011. Now, William spends his time working at the LA County Department of Public Health as a technical crime analyst. In 2018, William even started working as a motivational speaker.

Phillip Phillips was involved in a lengthy lawsuit with American Idol’s production company

The confetti raining down on Phillip Phillips was just the beginning as he took home the crown as the winner of season 11 on ‘American Idol.’ In fact, his single ‘Home’ is still the best-selling coronation song from the series. Things seemed to be going well for Phillip. That was until 2015 hit.

The singer filed a lawsuit against 19 Entertainment, the production company in charge of ‘American Idol’ as Phillip claimed they were “oppressive” about his career and “manipulated” him into taking certain jobs. Over a year later, the company hit back with their own complaint as they accused Phillip of holding up to $1 million of their own money. Phillip wasn’t allowed to release any new music until the complaints were settled in 2017.

Daniel Noriega now works as a drag queen called Adore Delano

The seventh season of ‘American Idol’ introduced Daniel Noriega to the world. However, most people now know the singer as Adore Delano – his drag queen alter ego. Daniel had a pretty successful music career since his time on the show and even got to show off his vocals when he appeared on the reality show ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race.’

In fact, he was even reintroduced to Paula Abdul on the show, who was surprised to see how much Daniel has changed over the years. Thankfully, Daniel’s new adventures as Adore has paid off as he’s one of the most successful acts from the show. He made it to the final three before appearing on the spin-off series ‘Drag Race All-Stars’ before he walked off the show.

Kelly Clarkson wants to give back to up and coming musicians

When it comes to the most memorable ‘American Idol’ stars of all time, Kelly Clarkson is one at the top of the list. She was the first winner in 2002 and has gone on to have a highly successful music career. Kelly never knew how much her life would change when she was handed her golden ticket, and she has used her new fame to branch out into several different careers.

As well as releasing a children’s book, Kelly has gone on to host her own talk show and act in several movies and TV shows. To top it off, the singer has given back to the world of music by appearing as a coach on the reality show ‘The Voice.’

Adam Lambert now serves as the frontman of Queen

Second the best really proved to be true for Adam Lambert. Although he missed out on the winning title, the musician has sold more than three million albums and five million singles to date. Adam’s even been nominated for a Grammy and now serves as the lead singer of one of the most famous bands of all time: Queen. Not too bad, right?

Adam later told Entertainment Weekly that he knew that getting to the final three would open up a world of opportunities. Little did he know that it would introduce him to one of the most iconic bands in the world. As well as touring the globe with his new band, Adam also has thousands of fans who love to keep up with his changing style.

Fantasia Barrino got to perform at Aretha Franklin’s funeral

It often feels like season three of the show was decades ago, but Fantasia Barrino still remembers winning the show like it was yesterday. The singer instantly won over the judges before she wowed audiences at home with her talented vocals. Fantasia launched a successful singing career as soon as she took the crown and hasn’t looked back since.

Over the years, Fantasia has released her own memoir and revealed that she had to dictate it to a writer as she’s illiterate. To top it off, the musician was asked to sing at Aretha Franklin’s funeral and has recorded an album with the likes of T-Pain and Meghan Trainor, who both feature on various tracks. Oh, and Fantasia is currently expecting her first child.