Tonight American Idol premiered their new season (number 10) to millions of viewers. As one of televisions most popular reality shows/competitions, we wanted to take a look back at some of our favorite plus size contestants.
This list includes the youngest contestant to ever win American Idol, the only contestant to eventually win an Academy Award and a Grammy, a number of broadway stars, models and two fellas.
Ruben Studdard (Season 2 Winner)
Christopher Theodore Ruben Studdard best known as Ruben Studdard, is an R&B, pop, and gospel singer. He rose to fame as winner of the second season of American Idol. He received a Grammy Award nomination in December 2003 for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for “Superstar.”
During the televised competition, Studdard gained the nickname “Velvet Teddy Bear” and was noted for his shirts printed with “205″, the telephone area code of his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama.
He won the contest over runner-up Clay Aiken by only 134,000 votes out of 24,000,000 cast in the May 2003 finale, becoming the second American Idol winner.
In the years following Idol, Studdard has released four studio albums, including his most recent disc, 2009′s Love Is.
Kimberley Locke (Season 2)
Kimberley Dawn Locke gained fame with her participation in the 2003 American Idol television series, and in 2007 garnered media attention for her participation in Celebrity Fit Club. In 2010, following a six year contract with Curb Records, Locke became the first artist signed to Randy Jackson’s dance music label, Dream Merchant 21.
On October 30, 2002, the reality-TV singing competition American Idol held auditions in Nashville, Tennessee for the show’s second season. She finished third, behind runner up Clay Aiken and eventual champion Ruben Studdard.
Locke went on to sign and record 2 albums with Curb Records before becoming the first artist to sign a deal with Randy Jackson’s Dream Merchant 21 record label.
Frenchie Davis (Season 2)
Frenchie Davis is an R&B singer and former contestant on the second season of the American reality television show American Idol. Davis performed in Rent on Broadway in 2003.
After American Idol, Davis appeared in the Broadway musical Rent in 2003. She sang the solo in the opening song of Act Two, Seasons of Love, and in ensemble roles such as Mrs. Jefferson (Joanne’s mom), a woman with bags, a coat vendor, Mrs. Marquez (Mimi’s mom) and others. She also occasionally played the part of Joanne.
Frenchie is the featured artist in the new Tony Moran single “You Are” that was released December 1, 2009. “You Are” is the debut single from Tony Moran’s upcoming album titled “Magic”.
Jennifer Hudson (Season 3)
Jennifer Hudson came to prominence in 2004 as one of the finalists on the third season of American Idol coming in seventh place.
Hudson auditioned for the third season of American Idol, in Atlanta. In her audition she commented that she had been singing on Disney Cruise Lines for the past few months (as one of the Muses from HerculesShe made her film debut in the 2006 film Dreamgirls which won her a number of awards and nominations.
In November 2006, Hudson signed a record deal with Arista Records. Jennifer went on to win a Grammy Award for her debut album, Jennifer Hudson.
In recent months Jennifer Hudson has made headlines as the new spokesperson for Weight Watchers She has lost 56 pounds in the last year.
Mandisa (Season 6)
Mandisa Lynn Hundley professionally known as Mandisa, is an American gospel singer and was the ninth-place finalist in the fifth season (2006) of American Idol. Idol judge Simon Cowell made several comments about Mandisa’s weight after her successful audition. When Mandisa presented herself to the judges prior to the final cut-down to the season’s 24 semi-finalists, she told Cowell:
What I want to say to you is that, yes, you hurt me and I cried and it was painful, it really was. But I want you to know that I’ve forgiven you and that you don’t need someone to apologize in order to forgive somebody. I figure that if Jesus could die so that all of my wrongs could be forgiven, I can certainly extend that same grace to you.
Cowell told Mandisa that he was “humbled” and apologized to her immediately.
Mandisa was eliminated from American Idol on April 5, 2006, in the Top 9, having never previously been in the Bottom 3 (she was there with Paris Bennett and Elliott Yamin, neither of whom had been in the bottom 3 either).
Jordin Sparks (Season 6 Winner)
Jordin Brianna Sparks rose to fame as the winner of the sixth season of American Idol. Sparks won when she was 17 years old, making her the youngest winner in history.
Sparks auditioned twice for the sixth season of American Idol: once in Los Angeles, California (only auditioned for producers) and again in Seattle, Washington after winning KSAZ Fox 10′s Arizona Idol.
She followed her American Idol victory with the release of her self-titled debut album in 2007, which has gone platinum in the U.S. and has sold around 2 million copies worldwide. Sparks’ second album Battlefield was released in July 2009 worldwide and debuted at #7 in the U.S cast of the Tony Award-winning Broadway show “In the Heights” as Nina Rosario.
Before auditioning for American Idol, Sparks was one of six winners who won the Phoenix Torrid search for the “Next Plus Size Model”.
Joanne Borgella (Season 7)
Joanne Borgella was a top 24 contestant on the seventh season of American Idol in 2008.
Prior to auditioning for American she was crowned “Miss F.A.T.” 2005, and winner of Oxygen network’s number one show Mo’Nique’s Fat Chance season one.
In 2008, she auditioned for the talent search reality television show American Idol. After successfully completing “Hollywood week”, she was chosen to be one of the top 12 girls and overall top 24 final contestant for the seventh season. Her musical influences are Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Alanis Morissette and Andrea Bocelli. She is currently modeling and working on music.
Borgella was eliminated on February 21, 2008, along with Colton Berry, Garrett Haley and Amy Davis.
Borgella is currently represented by Wilhelmina Models 10/20 division in New York and Miami. She has been the face of Torrid, Ashley Stewart, Wal-Mart and Kohls department store and has ads featured in Seventeen, Essence and InStyle magazine to name a few.
Michael Lynche (Season 9)
Michael Alexander Lynche is a singer from St. Petersburg, Florida who was the fourth place finalist on the ninth season of American Idol. He is the second finalist ever to receive the judges’ save, which was introduced in season eight.
Lynche auditioned in Orlando, Florida on July 9, 2009. He sang Unchained Melody by Alex North to all four judges, including guest judge Kristin Chenoweth.
During Hollywood Week, Lynche received news via telephone that his wife, Christa, had gone into labor and given birth to his daughter Laila Rose. Since Lynche was among the top 10 finalists, he will be joining the American Idol 2010 summer tour.
On April 7, 2010, Lynche was the lowest vote-getter and would have been eliminated from the competition, but the judges used their only save on him.
Lynche was eliminated from the competition on May 12, 2010, thus finishing in fourth place.
Let us know if we missed anyone.
Daily Venus Diva -- Daily Venus Diva.
Kimberley Locke was my ULTIMATE favorite Idol!!! I’ve 3 albums from her. 2 on CD and one on a digital download and it’s a Christmas album!! I love her new healthy figure now, but I’ve ALWAYS felt she was beautiful BEFORE Fit Club (please don’t get me started).
The description of Jennifer Hudson almost makes her like she is a has-been? Come on guys get it right, she didnt just win awards and nominations, the girl won an OSCAR.. yeah an OSCAR!! and she is also a grammy winner!