Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson is a generational singer and actress whose immense voice resonates whether she is singing original material or interpreting classics written for the church, stage, screen, or pop radio. The Chicago native appeared in 2004 on American Idol and soon became one of the most successful alumni from the reality television competition. Her portrayal of Effie White in the film version of Dreamgirls (2006) earned her an Academy Award, and her mature full-length debut, Jennifer Hudson (2008), won a Grammy for Best R&B Album. Hudson's second and third Top Ten albums, I Remember Me (2011) and JHUD (2014), coincided with roles in projects such as Winnie Mandela (2011), Chi-Raq (2015), and a Broadway revival of The Color Purple (also 2015). The cast recording of the latter earned Hudson her second Grammy award. Amid other acting and production work, her hosting of The Jennifer Hudson Show, and scattered musical activity, Hudson starred in the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect (2021), and as a co-producer won an Emmy for Baba Yaga and a Tony for A Strange Loop -- accolades that made her the youngest woman and third African-American to achieve EGOT status. The Christmas-themed Gift of Love (2024) was Hudson's first studio album in a decade.

Born in 1981 in Chicago, Illinois, Hudson sang from a young age in her church. Various talent shows and school musical productions followed until she eventually secured a role in a local Chicago production of the musical Big River. Prior to American Idol, Hudson sang professionally while working on the Disney Wonder cruise ship, playing the part of one of the muses from the animated movie Hercules. In 2004, she won a spot on the third season of American Idol along with eventual winner Fantasia Barrino. Though a strong contender and fan favorite from the start, Hudson finished seventh. Her big breakthrough came soon after when she was cast as Effie White in Dreamgirls. Buoyed by the power of the song "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," she went on to receive not only critical acclaim for her performance, but both a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

With her star rising, Hudson entered the studio to record her debut album with production such as Stargate, Ne-Yo, and Missy Elliot, and guests like Ludacris, T-Pain, and Fantasia. Led by the Top 40 hit "Spotlight," Jennifer Hudson (Arista/J Records) debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 after its September 2008. During promotion of the album, Hudson was sidelined by the shocking murders of her mother, brother, and nephew by her brother-in-law. She returned early the next year to receive a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album, sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl, and tour with Robin Thicke.

In March 2011, Hudson delivered her second studio album, I Remember Me, a relatively upbeat follow-up including the singles "Where You At" and "No One Gonna Love You." The effort bowed in at number two and featured production by Swizz Beatz, Alicia Keys, Ryan Tedder, and Ne-Yo. Meanwhile, Hudson continued to focus as much on her acting career as on music, appearing in a number of big-budget feature films including Sex & the City, The Secret Life of Bees, Winnie Mandela, The Three Stooges, and Lullaby. As a result, another three years passed between Hudson albums. Her third full-length, the groove-heavy JHUD (RCA), was released in September 2014. It debuted at number ten and featured "It's Your World," a single nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best R&B Performance.

Hudson continued acting, most notably in Chi-Raq and the Broadway revival of The Color Purple and, in 2016, the televised Hairspray Live! and the animated film Sing. The cast recording of The Color Purple went on to win a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album. In 2017, Hudson signed on as a coach for the sixth series of The Voice UK and released her first two singles for Epic. The next year, she jumped to the U.S. version of The Voice, alongside fellow Idol alumna Kelly Clarkson. After she starred as Grizabella in the 2019 film adaptation of the musical Cats, she portrayed legendary singer Aretha Franklin in the 2021 biopic Respect. The film's release coincided with that of the Grammy-nominated soundtrack, featuring Hudson's interpretations of gospel and soul classics Franklin either made her own or popularized, along with a new song written by Carole King.

Hudson diversified even more over the next couple years. She co-produced Baba Yaga, Emmy-winner of Outstanding Interactive Media for a Daytime Program, and A Strange Loop, Tony-winner of Best Musical. She hosted The Jennifer Hudson Show, which premiered in 2022, and voiced "All I Need" for The Color Purple [Music from and Inspired By], the soundtrack of the 2023 film. Hudson had released a third single on Epic -- an update of Ashford & Simpson's "Ain't No High Enough," popularized by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell -- but she signed with Interscope in 2024. Her first release for the label was The Gift of Love, on which she performed traditional material such as "Winter Wonderland," "Little Drummer Boy," and "Go Tell It on the Mountain" with help from the likes of David Foster, Kirk Franklin, and Ryan Tedder. On "Almost Christmas," Hudson was joined by Common, whose Pete Rock collaboration The Auditorium, Vol. 1 featured a guest appearance from the singer. ~ Andy Kellman & Matt Collar, Rovi