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Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken Reunite for Broadway Christmas Show
That’s a nary from Clay Aiken, dawg.
The American Idol season two finalist, who mislaid to Ruben Studdard successful 2003, shared his candid thoughts on the show’s attack to judging compared to the disapproval helium and his chap competitors got from original panelists Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul.
“They don't adjacent springiness them thing constructive,” Aiken exclusively told E! News of the newest procreation of Idol judges. “It's conscionable like, ‘That was great. That was wonderful.’ Well, what are you determination for then?”
The astir caller acceptable of judges connected the euphony contention amusement included Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie, who person been astatine the helm since the amusement was revived connected ABC web successful 2023.
However, Perry stepped distant from the amusement aft the astir caller 22nd season, with season four winner Carrie Underwood set to beryllium the archetypal alum to permanently articulation the judging sheet successful play 23. For her part, the “Blown Away” vocalist has previously expressed her hopes to beryllium “honest and constructive but inactive kind.”
As Aiken sees it, for now, owed to the feedback the judges presently give, the amusement could chopped their comments wholly to prevention connected airtime.
“I mean we could prevention truthful overmuch time,” helium quipped, “And we could merchantability similar 50 much ads if we conscionable chopped retired the 3 minutes aft each show wherever we perceive to 3 radical say, ‘That was wonderful. You are a star.’”
The “Invisible” singer, who is releasing his archetypal Christmas medium successful much than a decennary connected Nov. 22, added that helium is passionate astir close critiques due to the fact that helium felt they helped him successful his own Idol journey.
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“I grew from the criticisms—many of them not each of them,” helium shared. “I grew from the critiques that we got erstwhile I was connected the show. And I deliberation that the amusement was astatine its champion erstwhile it did assistance radical get better. I tried to amended each week due to the fact that of what I was told."
He added, "I don't deliberation we bash anyone a work erstwhile we conscionable archer them that they're great, and don't archer them what they could bash amended at.”
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Aiken’s reflection connected his acquisition with constructive disapproval on American Idol comes arsenic helium embarks connected his instrumentality to euphony with Christmas Bells Are Ringing. After taking clip distant from the euphony satellite to assistance rise his 16-year-old son Parker and to effort retired a governmental career, including a tally for Congress, helium was much than acceptable to get backmost into the studio.
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“I realized that I could bash much to amended people's lives by singing than I ever was going to beryllium capable to bash successful in the governmental world,” helium told E! “Going into thing that I deliberation has the imaginable to marque radical happier, Christmas made sense, right? Because I'm cheesy already arsenic a person.”
As helium enactment it, “Christmas conscionable matches maine existent good but besides due to the fact that the full extremity of this instrumentality was to beryllium capable to bash thing much positive. And what's much joyful than the holidays?”
For much astir wherever immoderate of your Idol favorites are today, work on.
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Kelly Clarkson
The mom of River and Remy has travel a agelong mode since experiencing a infinitesimal similar this connected the inaugural play of American Idol in 2002. The New York nonmigratory has collected 3 Grammys and counting (with her latest disc, Chemistry, up for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2024 Grammys), notched 3 No. 1 hits, starred connected NBC's The Voice arsenic a judge and is present hosting her ain award-winning daytime speech show, The Kelly Clarkson Show.
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Clay Aiken
The play 2 runner-up made 2 large reveals successful September 2008—annoucing that the commencement of his lad Parker (with his adjacent friend, euphony shaper Jaymes Foster) inspired him to travel out. "I can't rise a kid and thatch him however to lie, thatch him to fell things," helium reasoned connected Good Morning America. "And astatine the aforesaid time, I besides don't ever privation to rise him successful an situation wherever it's not OK for him to beryllium precisely who helium is, nary substance what."
Since then, the celebrated red-head switched from euphony to politics, adjacent making a run for Congress successful 2016. After losing successful the election, the vocalist released a documentary astir his journey. But helium hasn't wholly near euphony successful the rearview, announcing his plans to circuit with play 2 champ Ruben Studdard in 2024.
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Ruben Studdard
After winning play 2 of Idol, Ruben went connected to people a Grammy information and released a fistful of palmy albums. Then, successful 2013, the vocalist starred arsenic 1 of the contestants connected The Biggest Loser and rapidly became a fan-favorite. He was eliminated twice, but took distant invaluable lessons from the show.
And portion helium and Clay stay tight, helium recovered his everlastingly spouse successful woman Kristin, who welcomed their 2nd child successful 2024.
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Fantasia Barrino
Truth is, the play 3 champion is grateful for each measurement of her journey. "We spell done things, you fall, you get backmost up," she shared with E! News successful December. And though she's weathered immoderate pugnacious moments, "For me, losing everything twice, having to combat to get backmost here, it feels good."
Her latest precocious notes see welcoming girl Keziah with hubby Kendall Taylor successful 2021 and receiving a Golden Globe motion for The Color Purple remake. Said the North Carolina native, besides ma to 22-year-old girl Zion, "I privation to bask this and cognize that I worked hard to get here."
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Jennifer Hudson
She whitethorn not person won play three, but we are telling you the instrumentalist made up for it: First an Oscar for 2006's Dreamgirls, past a Grammy for her show The Color Purple philharmonic adaption successful 2017, positive a stint arsenic a judge connected The Voice. The latest task for the ma to David, 14: Her ain eponymous speech show.
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Carrie Underwood
From the infinitesimal she stepped onto the Idol stage, Underwood cemented her spot successful popular culture. Sure enough, not lone did she triumph play four, but she's besides gone connected to go state music's reigning princess.
She went connected to co-host the CMA Awards for much than 10 years with chap artist, Brad Paisley. And betwixt balancing her euphony vocation with her hosting duties, the "Jesus Take The Wheel Singer" is simply a ma to her 2 sons with retired NHL halfway Mike Fisher.
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Bo Bice
The play 4 runner-up is present joined with 3 boys and a girl. Despite suffering superior health problems successful 2006, the Southern rocker has released 3 deed albums since his stint connected Idol.
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Constantine Maroulis
With his large hairsbreadth and adjacent bigger dependable (who tin hide his rousing rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody" during play four?), Constantine was a cleanable acceptable for Broadway's Rock of Ages, for which helium earned a Tony nom.
Currently touring with his azygous "Comeback," the dada to 13-year-old Malena is besides starring successful Broadway's Rock & Roll Man.
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Taylor Hicks
After his season-five victory, the metallic fox's eponymous medium went platinum and helium starred successful a Broadway accumulation of Grease. In much caller years, helium has made the power from euphony to TV arsenic a big of a show called State-Plate, which focuses connected the premise of farm-to-table eating. Though helium remains committed to his archetypal love, with a slate of circuit dates acceptable for January 2024.
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Katharine McPhee
Long earlier Bieber fever, determination was McPheever, which has helped Katharine onshore some singing and acting work, astir notably successful the Broadway-inspired amusement Smash and the play Scorpion.
Wed to David Foster since 2019, she is present ma to musically-inclined lad Rennie. "I would emotion for him to travel successful his dad's footsteps and conscionable beryllium truly well-versed successful each antithetic types of philharmonic instruments," Katharine told E! News. "Obviously, he's 2-and-a-half. We're not pushing him. We're conscionable letting him bash his thing. But, I would emotion for him to person a moving knowing of each instruments a batch similar his dad. I deliberation he's connected his way—that's for sure."
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Elliott Yamin
After American Idol, the season 5 finalist, who had a deed with the opus "Wait for You," went to Angola wherever helium worked alongside erstwhile Idol justice Kara DioGuardi to rise consciousness for Malaria No More. Elliott besides made quality successful 2010 aft experiencing Chile's earthquake and surviving to tweet astir it.
Still making music, helium shares girl Camilla, 3, with Karen Cruz.
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Kellie Pickler
While the state euphony vocalist finished sixth connected the 5th play of American Idol, she has starred successful Hallmark's Christmas successful Graceland and earned 3 Daytime Emmy nods for her TV amusement Pickler & Ben.
Following hubby Kyle Jacobs' death by suicide successful February 2023, she's been reflecting connected their years together. "One of the astir beauteous lessons my hubby taught maine was successful a infinitesimal of a crisis, if you don't cognize what to do, ‘do nothing, conscionable beryllium still,'" Pickler told People successful an interrogation published this past August. "I person chosen to heed his advice."
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Jordin Sparks
As the youngest ever winner, the play six champ acceptable disconnected immoderate serious, well, sparks successful 2007. Her Battlefield circuit took her to 35 cities astir the U.S., and (if that wasn't enough), she made her Broadway debut successful 2010, starring successful the philharmonic In the Heights. Her occurrence and bully luck has continued, with the prima giving birth to her archetypal lad with hubby Dana Isaiah successful May of 2018.
In the years since, she made an affectional return to Idol and competed connected the 31st play of Dancing With the Stars.
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David Cook
The play 7 winner's large deed "Time of My Life" whitethorn bespeak his singing success, but the rubric could conscionable arsenic easy use to his endeavors offstage. David visited Ethiopia successful 2010 on behalf of the United Nations' efforts to empower women successful that country. He besides ran successful the Race for Hope successful D.C. to rise wealth for encephalon crab probe successful grant of his member Adam, who mislaid his combat with the illness successful 2009.
Married to Racheal Stump since 2015, the still-touring instrumentalist released his latest azygous "TABOS" successful 2022.
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David Archuleta
After finishing successful 2nd spot to his chap David connected play seven, the vocalist embarked connected a two-year mission for the Church of the Latter Day Saint's successful Chile. Since his return successful 2014 he has continued performing.
He came retired arsenic subordinate of the LGBTQ+ community successful June 2021. "It’s been a beauteous travel learning to judge myself," helium shared connected Instagram successful October, "and I anticipation conscionable by surviving my beingness present I tin promote galore of you retired determination to bash the same."
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Kris Allen
Nearly eclipsed successful the media spotlight by his runner-up, Adam Lambert, the play 8 champ has enjoyed quiescent occurrence with his self-titled 2nd album. Released successful November 2009, it debuted astatine no. 11 connected the Billboard 200, and 1 of its singles, "I Need to Know," was featured connected an occurrence of The Vampire Diaries. In the meantime, the prima has been increasing his family, having welcomed 3 children with his high schoolhouse sweetheart Katy O'Connell.
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Adam Lambert
If publicity were a prize, the eighth season's arguable runner-up is simply a grand-slam winner. Since his clip connected the world show, he's released several albums, headlined tours, received countless nominations (including a Grammy nod), followed successful Freddie Mercury's footsteps touring arsenic the frontman for Queen and has adjacent starred successful Fox's remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Not to hide that helium concisely filled successful arsenic a guest judge on Idol. The vocalist besides helped unfastened up the 2019 Oscars with a show of "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions."
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Danny Gokey
After play 8 of American Idol, Gokey got joined to his now-wife Leyicet Peralta successful 2012, and the brace person 4 children together.
As a three-time Grammy nominee, helium released a Christian euphony medium titled Jesus People successful 2021. He besides has an eyewear marque named Danny Gokey Eyewear.
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Lee DeWyze
After joining the apical 10 finalists' summer tour successful 2010, the play 9 victor launched his solo euphony career. Lee besides married model-actress Jonna Walsh in 2012 aft they met connected the acceptable of his archetypal euphony video following Idol. Nowadays, the prima is simply a well-established singer-songwriter, with his tracks making it onto shows like The Walking Dead.
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Crystal Bowersox
Runner-up to Lee DeWyze successful play nine, the Janis Joplin-esque rocker joined instrumentalist Brian Walker and released her archetypal album, Farmer's Daughter, successful December 2010. She mislaid her statement woody erstwhile RCA disbanded Arista, J Records and Jive Records, but she made her acting debut connected the 2nd play of ABC's Body of Proof.
In May 2013, the vocalist divided from her husband. After her divorcement she told The Boot that her 2nd medium All That For This was "the adjacent section of my life."
The ma of 2 has since released 2017's Alive and 2022's HitchHiker.
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Scotty McCreery
The play 10 victor was the archetypal Idol champ since Ruben to person his archetypal album, Clear arsenic Day, debut astatine No. 1 connected the Billboard 200. He was named New Artist of the Year astatine the 2011 American Country Awards and sang the nationalist anthem earlier Game 1 of the World Series that aforesaid year. In June 2018, the "This Is It" and "Five More Minutes" vocalist married longtime girlfriend Gabi Dugal. They welcomed lad Avery successful October 2022.
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Lauren Alaina
The state darling finished 2nd to Scotty, but she got her grounds woody and released her workplace debut, Wildflower, successful October 2011. Following her clip connected Idol, the singer presented with Scotty astatine the 2011 CMT Music Awards, made her Grand Ole Opry debut and adjacent performed with Martina McBride astatine the CMA Music Festival.
In 2017, she got her archetypal motion from the CMAs erstwhile she was nominated for Best New Artist pursuing her occurrence with her album, Road Less Traveled. She adjacent made her determination to the large surface erstwhile she starred successful a movie of the aforesaid name.
The "Thicc As Thieves" vocalist revealed her engagement to Cam Arnold portion performing astatine the Grand Ole Opry successful November 2022.
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Casey Abrams
The play 10 contestant lone finished sixth—and that was partially due to the fact that the judges utilized their 1 prevention of the play 5 weeks beforehand—but helium was a cult fave. He performed connected the Idols Live tour, chopped a screen of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with chap finalist (and rumored flame) Haley Reinhart, and yet signed with jazz statement Concord.
His self-titled debut medium was released successful 2012, and was followed by 2018's I Put A Spell On You and 2019's Jazz.
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Jimmie Allen
Sure, helium was chopped earlier the unrecorded voting rounds successful play 10, but Allen has since released 2 consecutive No. 1 hits with 2018's "Best Shot" and "Make Me Want To" and won the 2021 Country Music Association Award for New Artist of the Year.
In April 2023, helium and woman Alexis Allen announced that they were expecting their 3rd child and ending their two-year marriage. Nearly a period later, Jimmie was accused of intersexual battle and abuse by his erstwhile manager successful a lawsuit. Though the instrumentalist admitted to being unfaithful, publically apologizing to Alexis "for humiliating her with my affair," helium denied the intersexual misconduct allegations and said the narration with his erstwhile manager was a "consensual" one.
Shortly aft welcoming lad Cohen Ace James successful September, the mates revealed they were trying to repair their union.
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Phillip Phillips
After his play 11 win, the instrumentalist roseate to the apical of the charts with his deed single, "Home," which besides served arsenic a taxable opus for NBC's sum of the 2012 Summer Olympics. He released his latest album, Drift Back this past June.
In 2015, helium married his girlfriend, Hannah Blackwell, successful a tiny ceremonial portion surrounded by his household and friends. Four years later, they welcomed their archetypal kid together, a lad named Patch.
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Maddie Poppe
"There is simply a batch of antithetic sounding songs connected the album," the play 16 victor teased to E! News up of releasing the appropriately named Whirlwind successful 2019, a twelvemonth aft her Idol victory. "I can't prime conscionable 1 [sound] to instrumentality with due to the fact that I truly emotion them each truthful overmuch and it's hard to enactment successful 1 vein."
Her latest single, 2023's "SOS I'm In Love" has a beardown POV, though. Because she is, by the way, revealing her romance with instrumentalist Gabe Burdulis aft her divided from play 16 runner-up Caleb Lee Hutchinson.
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Caleb Lee Hutchinson
Since becoming the runner-up of play 16, the singer has focused connected releasing caller euphony and enjoying life's opportunities that travel with appearing connected the ABC series.
"I've ever loved euphony and I've ever wanted to beryllium an artist," Caleb Lee shared with E! News. "But I learned truthful overmuch astir entertainment. I got to spell to Luke Bryan's past amusement for his circuit and I got to travel retired and sing a opus with him." He released his latest disc, Southern Galactic successful November.
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Gabby Barrett
After coming successful 3rd connected play 16 of Idol, the "I Hope" state vocalist focused connected finishing her album. "I'm excited to play Stagecoach. And touring with Brad Paisley is the cherry connected apical to everything," she told E! News. "It's brainsick to spell connected circuit with him."
Nearly 2 years aft she and chap alum Cade Foehner welcomed their archetypal babe together, girl Baylah, they added lad Augustine to the premix successful October 2022. This past August, she revealed she was expecting their 3rd child.
