Biography - Clay Aiken

Clay Aiken may have been Ruben Studdard’s runner-up on the second season of “American Idol,” but he has since surpassed all of the ‘Idols’ (besides perennial victor Kelly Clarkson) in total record sales to become arguably the program’s greatest success story. Armed with legions of ‘Claymates’ and an entirely inoffensive public image, the talented singer has amassed fans from surprisingly diverse age groups.

Born on November 30, 1978 in Raleigh, North Carolina, Aiken grew up singing in the Raleigh Boychoir. He graduated from Leesville High School, and during his teen years was actively involved in YMCA children’s camps, where he found great enjoyment working with special education students. This turned into the focus of his studies as an undergraduate at the University of North Carolina – Charlotte, and he graduated in late 2003. By that time Aiken was already a worldwide star.

Aiken was urged to audition for ‘Idol’ by the mother of an autistic student he worked with, and gave a memorable initial audition for the show. As soon as Aiken walked in the room, judges Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, and Simon Cowell expressed skepticism that he could succeed in the competition, but quickly changed their minds after he belted out the Heatwave hit “Always and Forever.” Despite the rousing first impression, Aiken’s position was topsy-turvy until he made it to the fan voting segments of the show, during which he became a favorite alongside Studdard. He ultimately won second place in a controversial vote that many argued was botched due to the network’s inability to handle the nearly 25 million votes cast after the penultimate episode.

Regardless, Aiken has easily become the second season sales victor, as he has sold well over 6 million copies of his albums worldwide. His mix of broad appeal, incredible vocal talent, and adult contemporary stylings has made him one of the show’s biggest successes. His first album, “Measure of a Man,” was particularly stunning going three times platinum in the U.S. alone. It remains to be seen if Aiken’s success will be long term, but without a doubt he is one of the most popular solo artists working today.