It isn’t very often you find a show where the contestants that lose end up outshining the winners, but American Idol is clearly breaking the mold.
Sure, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks have enjoyed a good deal of success since winning their respective seasons. But after that, things start to get a little iffy. Take a look.
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Ruben Studdard- Winner of Season 2 vs. Clay Aiken
Ruben may’ve won, but Clay Aiken is the singer that landed the cover of Rolling Stone. While Ruben has struggled to keep the people interested in sultry vocals, Clay has gone on to become a tabloid favorite, especially after he came out of the closet on the cover of People Magazine in late 2008.
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Fantasia- Winner of Season 3 vs. Jennifer Hudson
Now don’t get us wrong, we know people absolutely love Fantasia, and we adore her as much as anybody. But guess who else was on her season? Yep, Jennifer Hudson, who finished seventh. Remember how Simon thought her vocals were too “Broadway”? An Oscar and Grammy later, Jennifer Hudson is an A-List star with pipes so powerful, the Jackson family called on her to deliver a rousing rendition of “Will You Be There” at Michael’s star-studded memorial service.
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Taylor Hicks- Winner of Season 5 vs. Chris Daughtry
Remember that old dude who won season 5? Whatever happened to him? We do know what happened to Chris Daughtry, who placed fourth on the show that season. He and his band Daughtry, had the fastest selling debut rock album in history, which featured the infectious single “It’s Not Over.”
Given the show’s history, maybe the contestants on Season 9 should try not winning for a change. –jacinta howard
