Jennifer Hudson Marks 20th Anniversary Of 'American Idol' Appearance With Audition Clip

Jennifer Hudson, who has come a long way in her entertainment career, is remembering her debut on "American Idol" two decades ago. She recently went back in time with a charming clip from her audition, acknowledging the 20th anniversary of her first appearance on the show.

The youngest female EGOT awardee in history also penned a touching note, appreciating God and her supporters for sticking with her all through her journey.

On Sunday, August 20, Jhud uploaded a video from her first "American Idol" audition twenty years ago. The heartwarming nostalgic post featured a 21-year-old Hudson from Chicago, Illinois, who believed she was the next big thing in America, giving an excellent rendition of "Share Your Love with Me" by Aretha Franklin.

Her performance no doubt blew the judges, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell, away as Jackson called her "absolutely brilliant" while Abdul commended her "excellent voice." Similarly, Cowell was amazed as he said, "See you in Hollywood," after getting approval from the other judges.

Their reactions were everything "The Color Purple" performer hoped for and more as she hurried to meet her loved ones in an enclosed room, excitedly declaring in a sing-song voice, "I'm going to Hollywood, baby."

Taking to the caption, she stated that on that day in 2003, she and her best friend, Walter Williams, traveled "all the way to Atlanta, Georgia, for my American Idol audition. 20 years, yal! Look at God !! I hopped on that American Idol roller coaster, and it has been going ever since !"

Hudson admitted that although she has "lived a lot of life" ever since she will always be "that same girl from the South Side of Chicago trying to get to my goals!"  At the end of the note, she thanked her fans for being with her on "this journey," as she could not have done it without them.

In no time, the comments section was filled with heartwarming compliments and well wishes. "And i been loving and supporting you since this day!!! Keep on going, sis!!!" one follower proclaimed. 

A second added, "You deserve all the good that comes your way. Your voice uplifts me."Another commenter gushed. "Oh my God, I remember this like it was yesterday. Just like I told you on your show, this audition, your performances, this particular season were everything to me. I was obsessed with you!!"

"Paula had to say Amen! That voice is anointed! Been a fan since day 1! Such an inspiration! ❤️❤️??," a fourth comment read, followed by a fifth admirer exclaiming: 

"20 years later, this beautiful woman in this video is an EGOT and winner ??????????????????????." A fellow fan then wrote, "And our lives were forever changed. You and your talent are a gift to us all???✨."

Hudson's rise to fame is undoubtedly inspirational as it was done the old-fashioned way. Born the third youngest born of Samuel Simpson and Darnell Donerson, the "RESPECT" actress had been interested in entertainment from a young age.

Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and Mariah Carey inspired her interest in music before she started singing at seven as a member of their church choir and did some community theater. 

Eventually, the talk show host signed up for "American Idol," which was the launching pad for her great success. Unfortunately, she did not win that season as she was eliminated after receiving the lowest number of votes for her performance of Barry Manilow's "Weekend in New England."    

Her exit not only shocked fans but the judges, but Hudson used her failure to propel her career in Hollywood with the release of her debut album in 2007. However, it was her role as Effie White in the film adaptation of the musical "Dreamgirls" that cemented her status giving her two of her EGOT titles — Golden Globe Award as Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

In June 2023, Hudson celebrated one year as the 17th EGOT winner with an Instagram reel showcasing her stunning beauty.

Fans would recall that the multifaceted artist completed her collection with a Tony Award for her work as a producer on the musical "A Strange Loop" as a producer.

On Instagram, she was filmed rocking a longsleeved purple custom-made cropped top and flaunting her lovely pixie cut hairdo. Announcing the milestone, she captioned the post, "A year ago today, I became the 17th EGOT!! There are no limits to what God can do! It's a year later, and I'm still 17."