When Jennifer Hudson sings the show-stopping song from the upcoming film “Dreamgirls”, audiences around the world are bound to stand up and cheer. The ex-“American Idol” contestant with the powerhouse voice has gone from a variety show reject to an up-and-coming movie star in a surprisingly short time, and is currently upstaging her more famous “Dreamgirls” co-star Beyoncé Knowles.
Hudson was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 12, 1981, and began her life as a singer with her church’s gospel choir at the age of seven. Her extraordinary six-octave range perfectly fit the style, and she still marks her early experiences with gospel as a major influence. With little formal training, Hudson won a spot aboard a Disney cruise ship in 2003 where she performed for six months. After deciding not to renew her contract with the “Disney Wonder” line, Hudson auditioned for the third season of “American Idol” and eventually made it to the coveted top 12 as a wildcard pick of judge Randy Jackson.
Her time on “American Idol” led to controversy as she was booted by fan voting before making the top five. Many celebrity viewers, among them the unlikely pair of Elton John and Quentin Tarantino, publicly expressed their anger over her ouster as many considered her the best singer ever to grace the “Idol” stage. The always vocal John even went as far as calling her departure evidence of racism, though fellow African-American diva Fantasia Barrino went on to win the season.
The outpouring of press coverage surrounding Hudson’s departure ended up being a good thing for her career, and she began performing at benefit concerts and had a brief stint in the Broadway production of “Hair”. Her first major post-“Idol” victory, however, came with the film adaptation of the hit 1981 Broadway musical “Dreamgirls”. Hudson beat out hordes of crooning hopefuls (including Barrino) for the critical role of Effie White, a major coup for a young, somewhat untested performer. Her natural acting talent and incredible voice convinced the producers she could do the job, and Hudson is now looking at an Oscar nomination for her work. Her performance in the film is in fact worthy of the buzz – she commands all of her scenes, and her on-screen sparks with Jamie Foxx are truly electric. After the film’s anticipated box office explosion and Hudson’s recent Golden Globe nomination, we can expect her to be in the spotlight for years to come.