‘American Idol’ Winners: See Where Kelly Clarkson & More Are Today

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February 18, 2023 9:58AM EST

The 21st season of ‘American Idol’ premieres on Feb. 19, so we’re looking back at where all of the show’s past winners are today!

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Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood — ‘American Idol’ has produced 19 amazingly talented winners over the years, and some of them have gone on to become some of the most well known artists in the music industry! However, others have virtually disappeared from mainstream media. Scroll through the gallery to check out how all the winners have changed over the years and get an update on what they’re up to now!

Carrie Underwood won season four of ‘American Idol,’ and has gone on to become one of the most powerful women in country music. She’s won seven Grammys, 15 ACM Awards, and nine CMA Awards. She is also now married to Mike Fisher, and together they have two children, Isaiah and Jacob. In 2019, she embarked on a massive tour to promote her album, ‘Cry Pretty,’ and it kicked off just months after she gave birth to her second son. In 2021, she also began an epic residency in Las Vegas. This mama can do it ALL — and she can do it well!

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Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson — After winning the first season of ‘American Idol,’ Kelly Clarkson has gone onto become an international pop superstar. She’s won three Grammys, and is now lending her expertise to another reality singing competition, ‘The Voice’! She is a coach on the show, and has produced THREE winners. Kelly has two kids with her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, and has had her own talk show on NBC since 2019.

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Fantasia Barrino

Fantasia Barrino — Fantasia Barrino won the third season of ‘American Idol.’ Although she doesn’t have as much mainstream success as Carrie and Kelly, she’s released several albums and has a solid fanbase. Her most recent album came out in 2017. Fantasia has been married to Kendall Taylor since 2015, and she has two kids from previous relationships.

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Ruben Studdard

Ruben Studdard — Season 2 winner, Ruben Studdard, was a bit of a controversial choice, but the powerful vocalist has released seven albums since his debut on ‘Idol.’ He also appeared on ‘The Biggest Loser’ and has made appearances on TV shows like ‘8 Simple Rules’ and ‘All Of Us.’ In 2018, Ruben teamed up with his season’s runner-up, Clay Aiken, for a Broadway Christmas Show.

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Candice Glover

Candice Glover — Candice Glover won ‘American Idol’s 12th season in 2013 after auditioning for the THIRD time. She released her debut album in 2014, but has had trouble getting her career off the ground.

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David Cook

David Cook — Another controversial winner, rock singer, David Cook, had some mainstream success after his season seven victory. So far, he’s released four albums, and most recently, he had an EP come out in 2018. David married Rachael Stump in Nashville in June 2015.

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Jordin Sparks

Jordin Sparks — Jordin Sparks has had several radio hits since she won season six of ‘Idol,’ and has even been nominated for a Grammy. In addition to her music success, Jordin is also big on philanthropy, and has backed a number of non-profit causes. Her most recent album came out in 2015, but she’s since done some acting and Broadway work. Jordin married her husband, Dana Isaiah, in 2017, and gave birth to their son in May 2018.

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Kris Allen

Kris Allen — Kris Allen won season eight of ‘American Idol.’ He’s released four studio albums and a Christmas album since his victory on the show. He’s also a member of a band called The Dames. Kris has been with his wife, Katy O’Connell, who he married in 2006, since high school and they have two kids together.

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Phillip Phillips

Phillip Phillips — Phillip Phillips, who won season 11, had incredible success with his first post-‘Idol’ single, ‘Home,’ in 2012. He’s released three albums in the last six years, with his most recent debuting in Jan. 2018. Phillip married his longtime girlfriend, Hannah Blackwell, in October 2015. They welcomed their first baby a few years later.

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Nick Fradiani

Nick Fradiani — Nick Fradiani didn’t get to the finals when his band competed on ‘America’s Got Talent,’ but he won season 14 of ‘Idol’! In 2016, he released his debut album, followed by an EP in 2017.

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Scotty McCreery

Scotty McCreery — Scotty McCreery found success in country music after he was named season 10 winner of ‘Idol.’ Several of his singles have done well on the charts, and his three albums have reached No. 1, 2 and 1, respectively. His fourth album comes out in March 2018. Scotty married his wife, Gabi Dugal, in 2018.

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Taylor Hicks

Taylor Hicks — Many viewers did not agree with Taylor Hicks beating Katharine McPhee on season 5 of ‘American Idol.’ However, he has maintained a niche fanbase in the years since his win, although he hasn’t released an album since 2009.

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Lee DeWyze

Lee DeWyze — Lee DeWyze won the ninth season of ‘American Idol.’ He hasn’t had any mainstream success, but he’s continued to release music in the years since. Lee’s most recent album was released in February 2018. He’s been married to Jonna Walsh since 2012.

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Caleb Johnson

Caleb Johnson — Caleb Johnson is the season 13 winner of ‘Idol,’ but unfortunately has only released one studio album since the win. He became a member of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in 2018.

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Trent Harmon

Trent Harmon — Trent Harmon was the ‘American Idol’ winner of season 15. He released his debut EP in 2016, followed by an album in 2018, and has a tight fanbase in country music. His three singles have also seen some radio success.

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Maddie Poppe

Maddie Poppe — Maddie Poppe won season 16 — and the first season after the re-boot — of ‘American Idol’ in 2018. Since her victory, she has been working on new music. Maddie is currently dating her season’s runner-up contestant, Caleb Lee Hutchinson.

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Laine Hardy

Laine Hardy — Laine Hardy is the season 17 winner of ‘American Idol.’ He first auditioned during season 16 and didn’t make the cut, and when he returned one year later to play guitar during a friend’s audition, the judges recognized him and urged him to return. Clearly, it was the right decision! Laine has been working on new music since his win, but hasn’t released a full album yet.

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Just Sam

Just Sam — Just Sam was the winner of ‘American Idol’s 19th season in 2020. Unfortuantely, the season took place right in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, so getting Sam’s career off the ground in the months since has proven difficult. However, she has admittedly gained a newfound confidence since being on the show, and has continued to keep fans updated via social media.

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Chayce Beckham

Chayce Beckham — Chayce Beckham was the winner of season 19 of ‘American Idol.’ He wasted no time kicking off his career, signing a country music record deal and releasing his first single shortly after his time on the show. Chayce also collaborated with Lindsay Ell on the song “Can’t Do Without Me” at the end of 2021. His song ’23’ went to country radio in 2023.

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Noah Thompson

Noah Thompson — Noah Thompson, who previously worked as a construction worker, was the winner of season 20 of ‘American Idol’ in 2022. Shortly after the show ended, he started releasing music and even went on tour with the runner-up of his season, HunterGirl.

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