When American Idol first aired in 2002, host Ryan Seacrest wasn’t even sure that the show would get picked up for a second season. “After that first season we were just crossing our fingers,” he recalled during a 2023 appearance on Good Morning America.
Of course, the popular singing competition show did get that second season — and decades later, season 22 started airing in February 2024. Over the years, the panel of famous judges has evolved from Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson to Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie.
The 21 Idol winners have experienced varying levels of post-finale success. While some have taken home Grammy Awards and become household names — such as Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood — others, like Samantha “Just Sam” Diaz, have found themselves almost back at square one.
All of the winners have released music since their time on the show, and many have toured, taken their talents to the big screen or Broadway and started families. So, where are each of the American Idol winners today? Here are all the updates on the popular reality show’s champions.
Kelly Clarkson, Season 1
In 2002, Clarkson became the very first winner of American Idol. Since her victory, she’s released 10 studio albums and won three Grammys from 17 nominations. Clarkson joined The Voice as a judge in 2018 and appeared on nine seasons of the show. Her eponymous talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, debuted in September 2019 and has won several Daytime Emmy Awards.
As for her personal life, Clarkson married music manager Brandon Blackstock in 2013. They welcomed their daughter, River Rose, in June 2014 and their son, Remington Alexander, in April 2016. However, Clarkson filed for divorce in June 2020 and later moved to New York City with her kids in the fall of 2023.
The singer released her divorce-inspired album, Chemistry, on June 23, 2023. Her Las Vegas residency of the same name included songs from the album and ran from July to August that year.
Although she was the first winner, Clarkson hasn’t necessarily kept up with American Idol. During a June 2023 appearance on Watch What Happens Live, host Andy Cohen challenged Clarkson to name a winner of the reality show from the last five years, and she was unable to do it.
Ruben Studdard, Season 2
Ruben Studdard, originally from Alabama, claimed the American Idol winner title over runner-up Clay Aiken in 2003. Following the competition, he released a platinum-selling album, Soulful, and earned a Grammy nomination for best male R&B vocal performance for his recording of “Superstar.”
He’s released eight studio albums in total and competed on The Biggest Loser in 2013. Studdard was married to Surata Zuri McCants from 2008 to 2012. He is now married to Kristin Moore Studdard, with whom he shares a son, Olivier. In the spring of 2023, he and Aiken toured together to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their time on the show.