Most Successful “American Idol” Stars: From Fantasia To Jennifer Hudson

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After American Idol first aired in 2002, it revolutionized reality television, especially in the music world. From its beloved contestants, judges, and host to the show’s format and cult following, it left a remarkable impact on the entertainment industry. At its commercial height, the famous singing competition was a cultural phenomenon that gave aspiring singers a chance at a music career.

While many artists now build success through social media, they used to either get discovered through different channels of the industry or try to land an audition at American Idol. Before taking a brief hiatus in 2016, the show helped launch the careers of many major stars throughout its first 15 seasons. Many former contestants have gone on to establish prolific careers for themselves in music and beyond. Today, we are looking at the most successful American Idol stars.

Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson won the first season of American Idol back in 2002, instantly becoming the show’s first big star. With her powerful singing voice, she found success as a pop artist while also combining elements of rock and country into her music. The Grammy award-winning singer is known for her chart-topping hit songs like “My Life Would Suck Without You,” “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” and other classics including “Since U Been Gone.” After taking American Idol and her music career to great heights, Clarkson now hosts her own talk show. Original Idol judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell appeared as guests on The Kelly Clarkson Show, resulting in a full circle moment. 

Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson may have not been a finalist on American Idol, but she became one of the most successful stars in the show’s history. After finishing seventh in the show’s third season, established a multifaceted career for herself. She starred in Dreamgirls, among other films, and released three studio albums, including her gold-certified self-titled debut. A jack of all trades in the entertainment industry, Hudson is an EGOT winner, receiving the four major American awards in entertainment: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. Like Kelly Clarkson, she now hosts her own talk show, where she recently confirmed her relationship with Common.

Fantasia

Season 3 of American Idol was an unforgettable one, launching the careers of two of its biggest stars. Jennifer Hudson finished in seventh place, but Fantasia won the competition. Following Idol, the North Carolina singer instantly started a successful career in music and acting. Fantasia released her platinum-selling debut album, Free Yourself in 2004. Her self-titled follow-up included the hit single, “When I See U,” which is now an R&B classic. She has topped the charts and won Grammys with her blends of soul and gospel, which often incorporates elements of hip hop. Fantasia first starred in The Color Purple on Broadway in 2007, and recently reprised her role for a film adaptation which has racked up numerous award nominations. 

Carrie Underwood

Undoubtedly the most successful American Idol star is Carrie Underwood, who won the fourth season in 2005. She is the most-awarded country artist of all time and has won eight Grammy awards. Singles like “Jesus Take the Wheel” and “Before He Cheats” were immediate crossover hits, topping the country charts. Her first four albums are multi-platinum, boasting numerous hit singles each. In addition to her successful and impactful career in music, Underwood has ventured into acting, playing many roles, including Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music Live! Carrie Underwood set the bar incredibly high for what aspiring singers can attain after winning American Idol. 

Katherine McPhee

Katherine McPhee finished as a runner-up on American Idol’s fifth season in 2006. The pop and R&B singer’s self-titled debut album on RCA arrived in 2006, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. Aside from releasing six albums, McPhee has been successful in TV and film. She also starred as Jenna Hunterson in Waitress on Broadway. Since finishing as a contestant, Katherine McPhee has returned to American Idol as a guest performer. She later married music titan, David Foster.

Jordin Sparks

Jordin Sparks is the youngest American Idol winner in the show’s history. She finished victorious at the age of 17 on the show’s sixth season in 2007. That same year, Sparks released her platinum-selling self-titled debut. The album included the hit single “No Air,” a duet with Chris Brown. Her second album, 2009’s Battlefield, included the Top 10 hit of the same name. Aside from music, Jordin Sparks has acted both on screen and onstage. She starred alongside Whitney Houston in the film, Sparkle, and in Broadway musicals including In the Heights and Waitress.

Adam Lambert

In 2009, Adam Lambert finished as the runner-up on American Idol’s eighth season but is one of the show’s most successful stars. He has released five studio albums, including the chart-topping Trespassing in 2012. Lambert is a successful pop solo artist but has also established a relationship with the remaining active members of Queen, touring with the band multiple times. Outside of music, he has guest judged on Project Runway, RuPaul’s Drag Race, X Factor, and American Idol.

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Trey Songz 2013 Sexual Assault Lawsuit Dismissed

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One of the ongoing legal troubles for rapper and singer Trey Songz recently came to a close. Last year, he was sued by a women for a 2013 incident that took place at a Casino in Connecticut. Songz was hosting an event at the casino where the unnamed woman was in attendance. While there, she alleges that Songz grabbed her bathing suit, exposing her breast without her consent. The original filing seemed pretty damning as she claimed there was video evidence to back up her claims.

But before the trial could reach a conclusion it was dismissed by the judge. That happened because Trey Songz’ legal team filed a motion to dismiss the case. While that isn’t normally granted by default, it is if the other party fails to respond to it. According to TMZ, that was the case when the unnamed woman who filed the case never replied to the motion which led to the entire case being dismissed. It’s a much needed win for Songz who has faced a myriad of legal issues and accusations of sexual assault in the past few years.

Read More: Trey Songz Trying To Get $10 Million Lawsuit Thrown Out

Trey Songz Lawsuit Dismissed After Accusers Fails To Respond To Motion

The accusations being made against Trey haven’t slowed down. Just this month Celina Powell made accusations against the singer that included kidnapping. She told a harrowing story of Songz allegedly taking her phone and holding her hostage for two full days without adequate food or water. It’s the latest in numerous concerning allegations of coercive sexual behavior made against him.

Just a few months before that yet another lawsuit was filed against him. This was once again for a sexual assault, though this time one at a private party. While he’s repeatedly tried to get lawsuits filed against him thrown out, he’s still facing numerous legal battles going forward. What do you think of the sexual assault lawsuit against Trey Songz being dismissed? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Trey Songz Associate Wanted For Alleged Strip Club Shooting

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Latto & Coi Leray Fist-Fought, Celebrity Makeup Artist Alleges

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It’s no secret that Latto and Coi Leray have had their differences in the past, but according to one celebrity makeup artist, things have even gotten physical between the two femcees. The makeup artist, Akilaface, took to Instagram today to respond to a few of Coi’s Tweets about rap beef after Eminem dissed her father, Benzino.

“Rap beef is so washed and tired. Exhausting. Embarrassing. Just f*cking over all corny as f*ck,” Coi wrote this morning. “I got no issues with no one. I’m so locked in on my grown and sexy vibes… if anybody don’t like me, that’s something they gotta take on with them selves.” According to Akilaface, however, Coi has no room to talk.

Read More: Coi Leray And Benzino Bond Over Latto’s Apparent Diss

Akilaface Responds To Coi Leray

“Coi Leray, BE QUIET,” he wrote. “Wasn’t you just beefing with Erica Banks and didn’t you and LATTO fight less than two months ago… Now rap beef is corny. STOP FAKING.” The revelation left many fans curious, prompting the makeup artist to provide more details of the alleged scrap in his comments section. One user asked if the two performers fist-fought, to which he replied, “yes they did and Latto won.” He also seemingly claimed to have footage of the alleged incident, though he says he “can’t put it out” because it’s “not [his] business.”

While many commenters are shocked to hear that they allegedly fought, quite a few aren’t buying it. Others are urging the makeup artist to stop spilling tea if the alleged altercation isn’t any of his business. Neither Latto nor Coi have responded to the allegations at the time of writing. What do you think of celebrity makeup artist Akilaface alleging that Coi Leray and Latto once got into a fistfight? What about his claim that Latto won? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

Read More: Coi Leray Addresses Latto Mentioning Her In Her Song, Says Black Women Need To Come Together

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Megan Thee Stallion Breaks Necks And Puts Haters On Notice In The Music Video For “Hiss”

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Megan Thee Stallion and Nicki Minaj are currently engaged in a bitter feud. Overall, these two do not like each other and they have spent the day going back and forth. Although the fans are pretty much split on whose side to take, there is no doubt that Meg dropped off an amazing song. In fact, her song seemingly takes shots at none other than Drake. Meg is coming with a new era, and she is taking notes on everyone who may have had something to say about her. It’s an interesting strategy that appears to be paying off.

When it comes to Megan Thee Stallion and her aesthetic, she has always been one to come through with a music video. She understands better than anyone that these are great ways to get people excited. The visuals help an artist stand out from the crowd. Furthermore, with a song as lyrically venomous as “Hiss,” you would expect some sort of music video to come out of it. Well, just moments ago, that video was unleashed to the masses. Below, you can watch from start to finish.

Read More: Megan Thee Stallion Shades Nicki Minaj On “The Breakfast Club”

Megan Thee Stallion Is Back

Throughout the visual, we get lots of colorful shots that showcase Megan in elaborate outfits. The artist looks great in these shots and she is exuding confidence throughout. Overall, her bars act as the driving force of the song and make her various looks that much more powerful. After the success of “Cobra,” this is another example of how this new era of Megan Thee Stallion is coming differently. We cannot wait to see what she ends up doing next.

Be sure to let us know what you think of the visual, in the comments section down below. Whose side are you on in this beef? Nicki or Megan? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for all of the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will always keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.

Read More: Megan Thee Stallion Shows Off Extravagant “Cobra” Chain

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Megan Thee Stallion Takes Aim On “Hiss”: Breaking Down The Bars Toward Her Targets

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This is shaping up to be the wildest New Music Friday in a while after Megan Thee Stallion made a triumphant return with her latest song, “Hiss.” She announced the track only a few days out from its January 26 release, and as soon as midnight hit, fans flooded streaming services to hear what the Hottie hitmaker has been working on.

Almost immediately, fans began sharing a few controversial lyrics that they believed targeted people who didn’t have nice things to say about Megan in the past. Now, the femcee didn’t necessarily drop any names. However, a flurry of conversation was immediate, with social media users taking to platforms with their guesses. Fans broke down some references and concluded there were several that Megan may have been discussing on “Hiss.” This morning, during a call with The Breakfast Club, the Traumazine rapper was asked about her new track.

Charlamagne Tha God flatly questioned Megan if she outwardly said any of her foes’ names on the single. After a slight pause, she replied, “Hit dogs holler.” And boy, have they ever been on X (formerly Twitter), where Nicki Minaj and the Barbz haven’t stopped firing off nasty messages and liking anti-Megan posts. However, she isn’t the only one who the public believes Megan Thee Stallion was letting off steam about, so let’s take a look at a few bars that seem to target the industry elite who have openly spoken out against the Texas titan in the past.

Nicki Minaj

It hasn’t even been a full 24 hours since Megan Thee Stallion’s “Hiss” hit airwaves and the Queen rapper has been unleashing. On the track, Megan raps: “These hoes don’t be mad at Megan, these hoe’s mad at Megan’s Law.” This is referring to a law enacted after the murder of seven-year-old Megan Kanka in 1994 by a sex offender who lived in her neighborhood. Megan’s Law was created to legally require sex offenders to register with their local law enforcement or government.

Nicki Minaj’s husband Kenneth Petty has been in and out of headlines for years regarding the 1990s cases where he served time. Also in 1994, a 16-year-old Jennifer Hough accused Petty, who was the same age, of raping her at knifepoint. He denied the allegations but later entered a guilty plea to an attempted rape charge. Petty would serve over four years in prison and must register as a sex offender.

Minaj hasn’t spoken about the controversy at length, especially considering there are still legal issues tied to the incident. However, the raptress icon didn’t waste a moment making fun of Megan The Stallion online after hearing “Hiss.” Nicki has mocked Megan being shot and has been liking posts chastising Megan and her case with Tory Lanez, among highlighting other controversies.

Drake

Minaj’s longtime Young Money bestie Drake may have also caught an arrow on “Hiss.” Megan spits, “These n*ggas hate on BBLs and be walkin’ ’round with the same scars (Ah)/ Real curvy, no edgin’, n*ggas fight to get in my section (My section).” There have long been rumors that Drake didn’t gain his figure in the gym, but under the knife. Joe Budden infamously teased years ago that Drizzy underwent cosmetic surgery to get his body right and tight.

Further, Drake’s friendship and support of Tory Lanez through the latter’s trial caused a stir. Then, on his Her Loss, 21 Savage-assisted track “Circo Loco,” Drake was accused of targeting Megan unprovoked with the bars: “This b*tch lie ’bout gettin’ shots, but she still a stallion.” This helped continue the social media vitriol against Megan, most notably from DJ Akademiks, as she faced allegations of lying about being shot by Lanez. A jury sided with the prosecution and sentenced Lanez to 10 years in prison. He, and his supporters, continue to maintain his innocence.

Pardison Fontaine

The romance between Megan Thee Stallion and Pardison Fontaine may be a thing of the past, but fans believe she hinted at her ex on “Hiss.” When the pair emerged, they couldn’t get enough of showing off their love on red carpets and at events. Fontaine was present throughout Megan’s Tory Lanez ordeal and even defended his then-lady against the Chixtape hitmaker.

However, like many high-profile romances often do, things ended quietly between Pardison and Megan. Then, the latter dropped “Cobra,” a track where she insinuated a lover cheated on her in their shared bed. She never said any of the lyrics were about Fontaine, but he took things personally and retaliated with a song of his own. On “Hiss,” fans think Megan was taking a verbal shot at her ex when she said, “He can’t move on, can’t let it go (Let it go)/ he hooked, nose full of that Tina Snow.” She stated elsewhere, “Say he a player, but he in his feelings (What?)/Bet I won’t give up the p*ssy again/ Sh*t, should’ve gave it to his friend (Ayy).“

Tory Lanez & Akademiks

“Diss”—ahem—”Hiss” wouldn’t be complete without a reference to Tory Lanez. For years, Lanez and Megan Thee Stallion were engaged in a rift that had a chokehold on Hip Hop. Fans were divided over Megan testifying that Lanez shot her in the foot in July 2020 following a Hollywood Hills party at Kylie Jenner’s home. Although Megan did not initially name her assailant, Lanez took to the internet with posts that ignited the Southern star.

Megan took to Instagram Live to directly accuse Lanez of shooting her in the foot. This caused a massive divide, and soon, Thee Stallion found herself on the receiving end of internet hate as Lanez continued to deny culpability. Further, Lanez before the trial and his subsequent sentencing, Lanez repeatedly targeted Megan in social media posts. Moreover, he antagonized Megan with a music video of him butchering horse feet. His famous friends followed suit, with jokes about being shot and allegations that Megan lied about the incident.

Megan Thee Stallion seeming references Lanez’s incarceration on “Hiss,” but doesn’t deliver a message to him. Instead, she had a few words in the outro for his supporters who continued to harass her. Some think this one was also for Akademiks. “Say, b*tch-ass n*gga, don’t type me nothin’ else, don’t write me nothin’ else / Download JPay since y’all n*ggas got so much to say / Or schedule a conjugal visit or somethin’, hahaha / D*ck ridin’-ass n*ggas.”

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Tierra Whack Tells Us Why She Loves Freshening Up On “SHOWER SONG”

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One of the main draws about Tierra Whack is her willingness to really put herself out there and challenge the boundaries she can push. In doing so she also asks the listener to see how far they are willing to go in trying something new. That is what Tierra is doing on this brand-new single, “SHOWER SONG.” This serves as the second track she has shown off from her debut album.

As it stands right now, WORLD WIDE WHACK will be available on all streaming platforms on March 15. Sadly, it is still just over two months away. Before this, Tierra put out “Chanel Pit” back in early November. While there were articles written that she was going to be dropping her debut back then, we know all the information.

Read More: Ben Shapiro Disses Nicki Minaj In One Of The Worst Rap Verses You Will Ever Hear

Listen To “SHOWER SONG” By Tierra Whack

“SHOWER SONG” is anything but your typical rap song. But, that should be expected from Tierra. At its core, it is a cut about loving to take showers. Singing while freshening up is a great guilty pleasure that most people have and she wanted to share that she has that same feeling. Tierra hilariously compares herself to some of the greatest singers ever. The shower gives her the confidence to sing like Aretha Franklin, Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, and Whitney Houston. The funky and minimal beat, paired with the vibrant music video just adds up to how creative the Pennsylvanian is.

What are your thoughts on this brand-new single, “SHOWER SONG,” by Tierra Whack? Will this be the best song on the album, why or why not? Are you excited for her to finally drop her debut project in March? Is this the better of the two songs, why or why not? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your hottest takes in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Tierra Whack. Finally, stay with us for the most informative song posts throughout the week.

Quotable Lyrics:

I be scrubin’ to the groove (Yeah)
I ain’t into takin’ baths (No)
Sometimes I do (Yeah)
Just so I can soak my a** (Soap)
Man, I love the echo (Echo)
‘Cause the shower like the stage (Stage)

Read More: Coi Leray Gets Sensual With Mike WiLL Made-It-Produced Track “Wanna Come Thru”

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Tierra Whack Gets Ready For The Day With The Funky, Playful ‘Shower Song’

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Tierra Whack is back. While seemingly half of the women in rap are busy chucking insults at one another lately, the former Philly battle MC is floating over all of it as she preps for the release of her debut album, World Wide Whack. After sharing the “Chanel Pit” video back in November, Whack follows up today with the video for “Shower Song.”

Although it’s a crowded release day, fans of innovative, left-of-center hip-hop should allow themselves to overlook “Shower Song.” The video, directed by Alex Da Corte, is a typical avant-garde Whack affair, with cartoony, pop art-influenced imagery blending stop motion animation, high fashion, and colorful sets that perfectly complement Whack’s playful delivery and the funky, uptempo beat. As far as the content goes, no, there are no acid-tongued jabs at any of her peers; in fact, it’s pretty mundane subject matter for a modern rap song.

Whack’s only boast here is that she sounds great singing in the shower while getting ready to start her day. The only brand she flexes is Dove soap. It’s kind of refreshing and it’s a cheeky, sly reminder that hip-hop is what we make it. It doesn’t have to be about street shootouts, drug sales, and traumatic relationships. It can be fun and bright and kind of silly and just about the regular stuff we all do every day. There’s room for more. Bravo to Tierra Whack for opening up the sonic palette and once again pushing boundaries — even if they aren’t the boundaries anyone expected to be pushed.

You can check out the music video above and the slightly longer lyric video below. World Wide Whack is due on March 15 via Interscope.