Twenty years ago, Jennifer Hudson hit rock bottom. Like in the bottom three of “American Idol” – where he was shocked to be eliminated in the third season of the singing competition with fellow hopefuls Fantasia Barrino and LaToya London. After his powerful pipe has taken him through the contents of Aretha Franklin, Elton John and Whitney Houston, Hudson became the vocalist booted in the night that shook America, finishing surprisingly seventh in the 2004 season finally won by Barrino.
“I feel like everything happens (for a reason), and I wouldn’t change a thing,” Hudson, 43, told Alexa. “Everyone has their own track, and there can only be one winner at the time. And, you know, I think Fantasia deserves to win – and I deserve to do everything I have to do.”
Indeed, the controversial removal will be a “gift” for the Chicago native who went on to score an Oscar-winning role in 2006’s “Dreamgirls” and a Grammy gold for his self-titled debut album in 2008. After winning a Daytime Emmy for his virtual-reality venture “Baba Yaga” in in 2021, he will complete his EGOT status as producer of “A Strange Loop” when he wins the Tony for Best Musical in 2022.
Not bad for an “American Idol” well-run.
He wasn’t kidding when he told us: “And I Told You It Wouldn’t Be.” While she chatted with other stars on the third season of “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” she also returned to her roots as a singer with a new holiday album: “The Gift of Love.” While he’s clearly not going anywhere, it’s been 10 years since Hudson’s last LP (2014’s “JHud”).
“I don’t think it’s been (a decade) because I sing everything I do,” Hudson said. “Through movies, commercials, things, I haven’t stopped singing. So I don’t know if I have an official Jennifer Hudson album yet… But time flies, especially when you’re busy – and I’ve been a busy girl.”
As busy as his career is, “The Gift of Love” is a labor of love. “What better way to come back from the Christmas album?” she said. “It’s been a dream of mine my whole career. I’m a holiday fanatic … so it only makes sense.
Hudson began recording the album after her talk show quit over the summer. “I remember riding my bike, listening to Christmas music on the beach,” he said. “And I was like, ‘We should probably listen to more holiday music than we do on vacation because it gives us peace and relaxation.'”
But her “singing summer” still has challenges when she runs on sand instead of snow.
“I love Christmas songs, and … how do you narrow it down until you know what to record?” said the singer. “But holiday music, at least to me, is sentimental. So, like, ‘A Christmas Carol,’ my grandmother loved this song, so it reminds me of my upbringing and the songs that my grandmother loved or that I used to hear at home during the holidays.
For Hudson, Christmas is a return to church — where it all began for him — as reflected in “Go Tell It on the Mountain.” “Growing up in the church, we used to walk around with whatever candles we had on the Sunday before Christmas and have a Christmas program,” she recalls. “My gospel roots should be part of the album.”
But “Gift of Love” begins with “Hallelujah”, a rendition of Leonard Cohen’s classic. “I was like, if ‘Hallelujah’ doesn’t exist, then there won’t be an album,” Hudson said. “Some may not think of it as a holiday song, but…
Undoubtedly, they have brought the masses together – whether through music, film or TV – since “American Idol”. She was ready to take her time when the opportunity came to play Effie White in the film version of “Dreamgirls.” “I was like, ‘I’m not going to let anything shake my faith or stop me,'” she recalled, “because to be able to have a second chance like that, I’m not going to miss it.”
After winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2007, Hudson’s stock was suddenly raised, who then appeared in other films such as “Sex and the City” in 2008, “Black Nativity” in 2013 and “Cats” in 2019. But she was given “the ultimate honor” when she plays Aretha Franklin in the 2021 Queen of Soul biopic “Respect”.
“I was like, ‘I’m not going to let anything shake my faith or stop me,'” she recalled, “because to be able to have a second chance like that, I’m not going to miss it.”
“It was like, ‘Oh my God, Aretha Franklin … it’s a dream to play her!'” he said. “And then I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, wait, I’ve got to play Aretha Franklin!’ It’s a blessing and it’s fun, but it’s also a lot. You know whose steps you walk on, whose shoulders you stand on.”
After that great role, Hudson went from the cinema to the sofa, launching a talk show in 2022.
“I come from a very chatty family with lots of personalities,” she said. “So if we’re not singing you down, we’re talking you down. When the opportunity to do a talk show came up about … I was like, ‘Wait a minute. You mean I’m going to be able to sit in a chair and just talk? Oh, roll the camera!'”
One of Hudson’s guests was Grammy-winning rapper Common, who made their romance official when he showed the host flowers on the January 2024 episode. The two share the same Chicago roots.
“I think that’s how it started,” he said, “because we were filming ‘Breathe,’ and one day he left the set and I came to the set, and security was like, ‘You and Public became. personal and very nice to everyone . What is it?’ That’s what attracts us. We have the same energy about us. We’re the same kind of people. It feels like home.”
Hudson – who has a 15-year-old son, David, from her previous relationship with former pro wrestler David Otunga – gushes about the special connection she found with Common. “It’s very beautiful – really,” she said. “It’s different. There’s nothing like it, that’s for sure.”
In fact, Common recently hinted that he might be ready to put on the ring. “If I’m going to get married, it’s for her,” he said on “The Breakfast Club” radio show in July.
“He kept talking,” Hudson replied with a giggle. “That’s a very strong statement.”
Common featured in “The Gift of Love,” a rap on the original song “Almost Christmas.” And his flow and wit with words inspired a hip-hop version of “Jingle Bells.” “We were on the phone, just having a conversation, and it was around Christmas,” said Hudson. “And I was like ‘The night before Christmas and everything at home…’ and he turned around and started freestyle. And it never left me.”
Hudson will take the Christmas show on the road with an intimate tour starting November 24 at the Kings Theater in Brooklyn before hitting Chicago, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. “It will feel very festive, very family-oriented and very personal,” she said. “I hope to come to my musical family. That’s why I’m still here.”
Wherever he goes from here, Hudson will never forget his “Day Ones” – those who have stood by him since the first audition for “American Idol,” singing Franklin’s “Share Your Love With Me” in a prophetic moment.
“I can’t believe it’s been 20 years. It’s scary when I look back,” he reflected. “I’m grateful for everything – to be in this industry for so long and to have the support and love that I have. I don’t take it for granted. And that’s why this album is a gift of love to everyone who has been with me.”
Editor: Serena French; Stylist: Ashley Pruit at Only Agency; Photo Editor: Jessica Hober; Talent Booker: Patty Adams Martinez; Hair: Albert Morrison at Mastermind Mgmt; Makeup: Shannon Pezzetta at A-Frame Agency using Dior Makeup; Manicure: Temeka Jackson at A-Frame Agency using The GelBottle; On-set Fashion Assistant: Devontaè Goodwin; Dresser: Rebecca Moreno at The Only Agency
