Jennifer Hudson Biography

The American singer and actress Jennifer Hudson was born in 1981 in Chicago, Illinois. Jennifer began singing in her local church choir and in community theater when she was still in elementary school, and it was quite evident from early on that she harbored significant talent. By her early twenties, she’d garnered the attention of her first record label, Righteous Records, but after deciding to appear on the television competition American Idol, she was released from that deal in 2004 so that she could compete.

Jennifer Hudson competed on American Idol in its third season, stunning judges with her remarkable voice, but shocking audiences when she was eliminated in one of the last rounds. Despite the loss, Hudson’s performances set the stage for a career which would launch with the same speed as American Idol winners. It wasn’t long before Jennifer garnered the attention of a number of record lables, settling with Arista Records and signing with them in 2006. In 2008, Hudson released her debut album, Jennifer Hudson, featuring the hit songs: “Spotlight,” “If This Isn’t Love,” and “Giving Myself.”

But as a multi-talented young star, Jennifer Hudson had already garnered significant acclaim for her role in the film Dreamgirls; it was her performance in the film which made her a household name and became her true breakthrough. The performance earned Jennifer Hudson an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actor’s Guild Award.

Since that time, Hudson has gone on to appear in Sex in the City (2008), The Secret Life of Bees (2008), and Winnie Mandela (2013.) She also released the album I Rememer Me (2011) featuring the hits: “Where You At,” “No One Gonna Love you,” “I Can’t Describe (The Way I Feel),” “Walk It Out,” and “It’s Your World,” the latter featuring an appearance by R. Kelly.

Jennifer Hudson continues to perform and record. Her most recent release is the album, JHUD, which arrived in 2014.