The Big Break: Music Talent Show Winners
Artists who made it thanks to talent competition shows.
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Fantasia Barrino - With a remarkable story and a stellar voice, Fantasia Barrino won the third season of American Idol. A high school dropout who was functionally illiterate, Fantasia’s life changed forever following her 2004 victory. She’s released three albums and was recently cast as the star of a Mahalia Jackson biopic.
Photo By Scott Gries/PictureGroup
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Ruben Studdard - Alabama native Ruben Studdard put the “205” on the map in 2003 when he won the second season of American Idol over Clay Aiken. Studdard took the charts by storm with his debut platinum release. Seeking to repeat that sucess, Studdard went on tour with Aiken last Summer.(Photo: Tom Donoghue/PictureGroup)
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Jennifer Hudson\r - Despite finishing in seventh place, Jennifer Hudson is arguably one of the two most successful American Idol alumni ever. The 29-year-old has an Academy Award, Golden Globe and Grammy to her name. Hudson’s second album, I Remember Me, was released earlier this year.\r(Photo: Rob Kim/Getty Images)
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Jordin Sparks - The youngest winner of American Idol, Jordin Sparks sold more than 2 million copies of her self-titled debut album in 2007. Sparks has since transitioned from the recording booth to Broadway, starring as Nina Rosario in the musical In the Heights.(Photo: Stephen Cohen/Getty Images for Longines)
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Cheryl Lynn - Disco star Cheryl Lynn is known for her 1978 hit “Got to Be Real,” but did you know she got her big break after performing on The Gong Show? Following her performance, record executives reached out in order to sign Lynn to a deal.(Photo: Kevin Winter/ImageDirect)
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