"It'd be cool" — American Idol alum Jennifer Hudson opens up on possibility of returning to the show
Jennifer Hudson, an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards) winner, finished seventh on American Idol in 2004 during her early years. The singer sat down with Parade magazine on May 7, 2025, and shared that she would be interested in joining the show again, this time as a mentor. It's been 21 years since Jennifer took part in the singing competition.
Previously, she had a coaching role on another singing show, The Voice, from 2017 to 2019. She expressed in the interview that her experience as a contestant would make her a valuable coach. The award-winning singer noted that having coaches who have been in the contestants' position could be beneficial to a budding artist's journey.
"American Idol would be wonderful because I think it'd be cool for the contestants to have people who have once been in their shoes,” said Jennifer.
Similar to Jennifer, Carrie Underwood has a similar role on the show in season 23. Carrie was a former American Idol winner, as she won season 4 of teh ABC reality series.
Jennifer Hudson used to get jitters during her time as a contestant on American Idol
For the uninitiated, Jennifer Hudson participated in American Idol in April 2004. She appeared in season 3 and was eliminated from the Top 7. Further in her Parade interview, the singer mentioned that during her time on the show, she experienced nervousness on elimination nights.
“You know, right after I was eliminated, I used to get jitters and be like, ‘Why am I so nervous?’ And it's like, ‘Oh, it's Wednesday, elimination days.’ But it's been some time, so not as much [anymore],” expressed Jennifer Hudson.
When Jennifer was eliminated, she was in the bottom two with Fantasia. Later, Fantasia went on to earn a name for herself in the industry and acted as a mentor in one of the episodes of the latest season of American Idol.
Jennifer Hudson marked the 20th anniversary of her elimination from the show on April 22, 2024. She shared a post on Instagram, reflecting on her journey since then. In the caption, Jennifer encouraged her fans to stay committed to their goals, as it's essential on the road to achieve success.
“Never give up on your dreams, yal! If I can do it, so can u! If it’s not worth working hard for, it’s not worth it at all ! Remember nobody knows your potential the way you do. Just keep the faith, keep believing, and keep going!!!” Jennifer Hudson wrote.
Hudson's career took off after her time on the show, and she won an Oscar for her role in Dream Girls. She also started hosting her own talk show, The Jennifer Hudson Show, which reached a milestone with its 500th episode.
For the latest season of American Idol, Jennifer seems to have been supporting Gabby Samone. Gabby is currently in the running to become the winner of the show. Hudson took Gabby's name during her own show on March 14, 2025. She discovered Samone's performance video on Instagram and invited her to appear on her talk show in 2022.
The two have stayed in touch, as claimed in the on-air audition given by Gabby. When Gabby advanced to the next round, Hudson even recorded a video message congratulating her.
On March 9, 2025, ABC announced that they have renewed American Idol for season 24.
