Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981), also known by her nickname J.Hud,[1] is an American singer and actress. Having received numerous accolades for her work in music, film, television, and theater, Hudson became the youngest woman and third African-American recipient of all four major American entertainment awards: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT) in 2022.[2] She was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013,[3] and Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2020.[4]
Hudson was born in Chicago, Illinois.[6][7] She is the third and youngest child of Darnell Donerson[8] and Samuel Simpson, a Greyhound Lines bus driver.[9][10] She, her older sister Julia, a school bus driver, and her brother Jason Hudson, were raised primarily by their mother. Her father was absent from her childhood until, with the blessing of her mother, she went looking for him at age 14. When Hudson found her father, she learned that he had 26 other children. She has stated she has still not met all of her half-siblings.[11]
In January 2002, Hudson signed her first recording contract with Righteous Records, a Chicago-based independent record label.[19] She was released from her five-year contract with Righteous Records so that she could appear on American Idol in 2004.
Career
2004–2005: American Idol
Hudson auditioned for the third season of American Idol in Atlanta. After commenting that she had been singing on Disney Cruise Lines (aboard the Disney Wonder) for the past few months as one of the Muses from Hercules, judge Randy Jackson told her, "We're expecting more than a cruise ship performance from you."[20] Hudson received the highest number of votes in the "Top 9" after her performance of Elton John's "Circle of Life" on April 6, 2004, but two weeks later, she was eliminated during the "Top 7" show after performing Barry Manilow's, "Weekend in New England".[21][22] In May 2009, MTV listed Hudson as the sixth greatest contestant in American Idol history and noted her exit was the most shocking of all time.[23] In May 2010, the Los Angeles Times claimed Hudson to be the third greatest Idol contestant in the history of the show, placing behind season one winner Kelly Clarkson and season four winner Carrie Underwood respectively.[24]
In one of her first appearances on a record, Hudson is featured in a duet, "The Future Ain't What It Used to Be", on Meat Loaf'sBat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose. In September 2006, Hudson performed the song, "Over It", live on Fox Chicago Morning News. In the interview she stated the song would be included on her debut album, to be released in early 2007; however, this was before she was signed to a record label.[25] In November 2006, Hudson signed a record deal with Arista Records.[26] Hudson also recorded a song she co-wrote with Bill Grainer and Earl Powell called "Stand Up", which was available for preview on her fan website. The track was produced by Chicago natives Powell and Herman Little III, who also arranged the song.[27] The power-ballad would later become available on the deluxe edition of Hudson's self-titled album as a bonus track.
In November 2005, Hudson was cast in the role of Effie White for the film adaptation of the musical Dreamgirls, which also starred Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles and Eddie Murphy. The role marked Hudson's debut screen performance. She won the role over hundreds of professional singers and actresses, including Fantasia Barrino.[28] Filming of Dreamgirls began on January 9, 2006, and the film went into limited release on December 25, 2006, and national release on January 12, 2007. Hudson has won particular praise for her show-stopping onscreen rendition of the hit song, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", the signature song of the role, which had earlier been recorded, and had already reached the status of musical standard, because of the definitive performance of Jennifer Holliday. The New York Observer described Hudson's performance of the song as "five mellifluous, molto vibrato minutes that have suddenly catapulted Ms. Hudson... into the position of front-runner for the best supporting actress Oscar".[29]Newsweek said that when moviegoers hear Hudson sing the song, she, "is going to raise goose bumps across the land."[30]Variety magazine wrote that Hudson's performance "calls to mind debuts like Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl or Bette Midler in The Rose, with a voice like the young Aretha".[31] "Love You I Do" was nominated for the 2007 Academy Award for Best Original Song and won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.
Hudson in 2007
As Effie White, Hudson has garnered 29 awards from film critics as Best Supporting Actress and Breakthrough Performer of 2006. She won the Golden Globe Award as Best Actress in a Supporting Role. In addition, she has been named Best Supporting Actress by the Broadcast Film Critics Association and also by the Screen Actors Guild. After seeing Hudson's performance in Dreamgirls, Simon Cowell taped a congratulatory message to her, which aired on The Oprah Winfrey Show.[32] With the March 2007 issue, Jennifer Hudson became the third African-American celebrity and the first African-American singer to grace the cover of Vogue magazine.[33] On February 11, 2007, the 60th British Academy Film Awards were held in London, but Hudson was not there to accept her BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. The BAFTA Award went missing and Hudson did not receive her award until April 22, 2011, when it was presented to her on the Graham Norton Show. On February 25, 2007, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film.[citation needed] Later in 2007, the mayor of her home town, Chicago, Richard M. Daley, declared March 6 as "Jennifer Hudson Day".[34][35] She was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on June 18, along with 115 other individuals for 2007.[36][37]Entertainment Weekly put her performance on its end-of-the-decade, "best-of" list, saying, "Sure, Beyoncé's performance was great. And Eddie Murphy's was impressive. But there was really only one reason we all rushed to see 2006's Dreamgirls: Jennifer Hudson's soul-to-the-rafters rendition of the classic 'And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going'. When she sang 'You're gonna love me,' it wasn't just a lyric — it was a fact."[38]
2008–2009: Jennifer Hudson album and films
In May 2008, Hudson appeared in the feature film Sex and the City as Louise, Carrie Bradshaw's assistant. Filming finished in December 2007 and the movie was released on May 30, 2008.[39] In October 2008, Hudson made her third film appearance in The Secret Life of Bees as Rosaleen, the mother figure of Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning). Also starring in the film are fellow Oscar nominees Queen Latifah and Sophie Okonedo, as well as Alicia Keys. The film opened on October 17, 2008, and grossed over $37million at the box office. The film won two People's Choice Awards in January 2009 in the categories, Favorite Drama Movie and Favorite Independent Movie. The film also received nine Black Reel Awards nominations including three wins. Hudson was nominated for her performance in the film, but lost to Queen Latifah. The film also received eight nominations at the 2009 NAACP Image Awards, including a nomination for Hudson for her performance.
In 2009, Hudson starred as Kathy Archenault in Fragments, a film based on the novel by Roy Freirich, with Dakota Fanning and Forest Whitaker. It was released on DVD on August 4, 2009. In 2010, Hudson started filming the biopic film Winnie Mandela[40] based on the South African politician Winnie Mandela[40] starring alongside Terrence Howard and directed by Darrell J. Roodt.[41] Andre Pieterse and Roodt and Paul L. Johnson based the film's script on Anne Marie du Preez Bezdrob's biography, Winnie Mandela: A Life.[42] The Creative Workers Union of South Africa have opposed this choice, stating they will push for a moratorium on the film if the casting is not reversed.[43] Winnie Mandela has threatened legal action over this film, claiming she was not "consulted" about the film.[44]Winnie Mandela was originally scheduled to be released in December 2011; the trailer was released in 2010.[41]Image Entertainment released the film on September 6, 2013.[45][46]
In January 2008, Hudson returned to the studio to record new songs for her debut studio album. Her label was reportedly unhappy with the direction they were sending Hudson musically and decided it would be best to scrap the older songs and instead focus on new ones. Hudson worked with Ryan Tedder and Timbaland on a number of songs. Her debut single, "Spotlight" was released on June 10, 2008, and became Hudson's first top 40 hit peaking at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a top 20 hit in the United Kingdom and Turkey. Her debut studio album, Jennifer Hudson, was released on September 30, 2008, on Arista and was written by Ne-Yo, who co-produced along with Stargate. Additional contributors on the album include Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Robin Thicke, Harvey Mason, Jr., Diane Warren, Earl Powell, and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, among others.[47] The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with 217,000 copies in the US and opened to positive reviews. As of August 2009, the album has sold 739,000 copies in the US, receiving a Gold certification for surpassing sales of 500,000. She has performed the song, "All Dressed in Love" for the Sex and the City soundtrack, which was released on May 27, 2008.[48] Hudson performed the national anthem at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
The album's second single was to be released in October 2008, and was originally set to be "My Heart" before "If This Isn't Love" was chosen as the official second single. After three of her family members were brutally murdered, the single was rescheduled for a January 2009 release. However, in January 2009, her label decided to postpone the release of the second single once more, choosing a February 2009 release date. After the release of "If This Isn't Love", the single eventually peaked at number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 37 on the UK Singles Chart. The third single was "Pocketbook" featuring Ludacris in April 2009, for a June 2009 release, despite speculation that the third single would be "My Heart" after it was canceled as the second single. In May 2009, "Pocketbook" was canceled as the third single due to negative reception from fans and critics alike. The third single was then rescheduled as "Giving Myself" and was released on June 2, 2009, to the US. Her debut album garnered Hudson three nominations at the 2009 Grammy Awards: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Spotlight", Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "I'm His Only Woman" with Fantasia Barrino, and Best R&B Album for Jennifer Hudson. She won the last of these and performed at the awards ceremony.[49]
In February 2009, Hudson made her first public appearance since the murders when she sang the Star-Spangled Banner at Super Bowl XLIII.[50][51][52] She toured the United States with Robin Thicke in 2009.[53] In early May 2009, Hudson suffered "throat fatigue" and had to reschedule her May 16–19, 2009, tour dates.[54] She sang "Will You Be There" at the Michael Jackson memorial service in July 2009.[55] Hudson recorded "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)", originally by Gladys Knight & the Pips, for American Idol Season 3: Greatest Soul Classics — the official American Idol album for the third season. She is featured on Ne-Yo's second album, Because of You, on the track, "Leaving Tonight". Hudson performed a Christmas special in December 2009 called Jennifer Hudson: I'll Be Home for Christmas. During the special, she relived her childhood Christmases with musical performances filmed at her favorite locations in her native Chicago. Hudson also visited family members, friends and other childhood influences during the broadcast.[56] On January 22, 2010, Hudson appeared on the telethon "Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief", performing the Beatles' "Let it Be". The telecast generated $61million in donations as of January26,2010[update].[57] Also, that year, Hudson recorded the song "One Shining Moment" for the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.
In 2010, Hudson became the spokesperson for Weight Watchers.[58][59] That year, she had lost 56 pounds (25kg) and "[did] not want to lose any more weight."[60] However, on February 10, 2011, she appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and revealed she had lost a total of 80 pounds.[61] Her 2012 autobiography, I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down, detailed her weight loss.[62][63][64]
Early in the album I Remember Me's development, Ne-Yo told E! Online that Hudson was ready to get personal on her second studio album and that he might be producing the album. He said "She's gone through a lot over the last year, so she has a lot to talk about", he continues. "She's definitely gotten stronger. The things that she's gone through and for her to still be upbeat and happy, it's amazing."[65] Hudson released her second studio album I Remember Me on March 22, 2011. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 selling 165,000 copies in its first week of release.[66]
Hudson in 2012
On January 24, 2011, Hudson premiered the album's lead single "Where You At".[67] It was written by R. Kelly and produced by Harvey Mason, Jr.[68] The song went for radio adds that same week.[69] On February 3, 2011, due to radio adds the single made its debut on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 53,[70][clarification needed] having so far reached a peak of number 10.[71] The music video premiered on BET's 106 & Park and through Vevo in February 2011.[72][73] "No One Gonna Love You" impacted on Urban adult contemporary radio in the United States in May 2011. A remix bundle, "No One Gonna Love You-The Remixes", was released as a digital download in the US and the UK in July 2011.[74][75][76] The song has reached number 23 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[77] The third US single will be "I Got This".[78] The non-single track "Don't Look Down" reached number 70 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[79]
Hudson's third studio album, JHUD, was released on September 23, 2014. Hudson described the album as more "upbeat" than her previous material. She worked with Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, RedOne, Iggy Azalea and R. Kelly among others. RedOne said about the material: "It's not dance dance, but it's soulful dance. It's very '70s kinda style".[87] Hudson stated: "What we're doing feels so right that I never want to go home (from the studio). My sister and my manager will be sleeping on the couch while we work until 4 or 5am".[88]
Hudson confirmed that a song on the album will be "It's Your World" and features R. Kelly, in an interview with Jonathan Ross on The Jonathan Ross Show. The track went on to be nominated for Best R&B Vocal Performance at the 2015 Grammy Awards. On June 20, she released the music video for "Walk it Out" featuring Timbaland, which is the first single off her upcoming album. Her third album, JHUD, would include "different expressions of [Hudson] as an artist, a girl, [and] a music lover".[89]
2015–2016: The Color Purple, Hairspray Live, and Sing
In February 2015, Jennifer together with her previous collaborator Iggy Azalea released "Trouble". It’s their second collaboration after Iggy was featured on her JHUD album on "He Ain't Goin' Nowhere". On Radio Disney, Iggy revealed that the collaboration happened after their previous work, she liked her voice and wanted Jennifer to sing the hook for it. They performed the song together for the first time on February 4, 2015 on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, following performances on Clive Davis and The Recording Academy's annual pre-Grammy Gala, 2015 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, 2015 iHeartRadio Music Awards and on American Idol season 14. The accompanied music video was released on Iggy’s YouTube channel on 27 February 2015 and as of 2024 it gained 112 million views, making it Jennifer’s first 100 million and most viewed video on that platform. "Trouble" appeared on Iggy’s Reclassified album.[91][92]
Later in 2015, Hudson guest-starred as Michelle White, a minor semi-recurring character in the first season of Empire. She sang three songs on the show, "Remember the Music", "Whatever Makes You Happy", and "For My God".
Hudson helped welcome Pope Francis on his first visit to the United States by singing her rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah".[93]
In fall 2015, Hudson made her Broadway debut as Shug Avery in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple, alongside Cynthia Erivo and Danielle Brooks. New York Times critic Ben Brantley hailed her performance saying, "Ms. Hudson radiates a lush, supple stage presence that is echoed by her velvet voice."[94] Hudson later picked up her second career Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album (2017) for her work on The Color Purple."[95]
In June 2016, Hudson performed Prince's "Purple Rain", on the BET Awards, which she had previously sung onstage with the cast of The Color Purple,[96] the day Prince died.[97]
On June 28, 2016, Hudson signed with Epic Records. L.A. Reid and Clive Davis are joining forces for the first time since Whitney Houston's The Bodyguard soundtrack 25 years ago. "Jennifer Hudson is the defining voice of this generation", said Reid. "Her award-winning presence on records, in film and on stage establishes her as one of the premiere artists to emerge in this century." Davis says: "I signed Jennifer in 2007 believing her to be the strongest candidate as the next generation's Aretha Franklin and Whitney. She has become that, as LA and I excitingly reunite to capture Jennifer at her all-time best."[98]
In December 2016, Hudson played scene-stealer Motormouth Maybelle in NBC's Hairspray Live!. Her version of the Civil Rights-themed ballad "I Know Where I've Been", blew audiences away, garnering Emmy buzz from fans and critics alike.[99] During the credit sequence, Hudson duets with costar Ariana Grande on Shaiman and Wittman's "Come So Far".
Hudson lent her voice to the younger version of the character Nana Noodleman in the Illumination Entertainment film, Sing, which was released December 21, 2016. In the film, she sang The Beatles' classic, "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight", which was the recurring musical theme of the film. On the deluxe soundtrack, Hudson sings with Tori Kelly on a duet version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah".[100]
2017–2020: Sandy Wexler, The Voice, Cats, and new music
Hudson starred as singer Courtney Clarke in the film, Sandy Wexler, which premiered in April 2017.[101] In early 2017, Hudson debuted in The Voice franchise as a coach on the sixth season of The Voice UK.[102] She won the season with her act Mo Adeniran and became the first female coach to win the show. Hudson had joined the American version of The Voice as a coach for its thirteenth season.[103]
Hudson released "Remember Me" on March 3, 2017. On December 12, 2017, she released another new song, "Burden Down". The same day, Hudson performed "Remember Me" live for the first time on the semi-final result night of The Voice. Later, a music video for the single was also released.[104]
Hudson returned for her second series as a coach to The Voice UK; her second series premiered on January 6, 2018, and concluded on April 7, where Hudson's finalist Belle Voci finished third. On January 27, 2018, Clive Davis disclosed that Hudson had been handpicked by Aretha Franklin to portray her in an eventual biopic with a prospective release date in 2021.[105]
Jennifer Hudson performed with the D.C. Choir at the March for Our Lives anti-gun violence rally in Washington, D.C., on March 24, 2018.[106][107] Hudson returned as a coach for the fifteenth season of the American version of The Voice after taking a one-season hiatus.[108] Her final act, Kennedy Holmes, finished in fourth place overall. Hudson returned for The Voice UK's eighth series.[109] In 2018, Hudson was cast as the Cats character Grizabella in the film adaptation, which was released in 2019.[110]
In March 2020, Hudson collaborated with Bono, Will.i.am, and Yoshiki to create "#SING4LIFE", a song written and compiled remotely by the four musicians to lift spirits during the COVID-19 crisis.[111]
2021–present: Respect, EGOT, talk show, The Gift of Love
In September 2021, Hudson won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Interactive Media for a Daytime Program for being an executive producer for Baba Yaga, a 27-minute interactive fairytale story made for Oculus Quest.[122]
In February 2022, Jennifer Hudson was one of the night's major winners at the 2022 NAACP Image Awards. She won the Entertainer of the Year and Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for her portrayal of Aretha Franklin in the film Respect.[123] In May 2022, Hudson received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Musical for serving as a producer for the Broadway musical, A Strange Loop.[124] On June 12, 2022, Hudson became one of seventeen people to have won an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Tony ("an EGOT") at the 75th Tony Awards.[125] She appeared in the 2022 film Tell It Like a Woman and will also star in the upcoming film Breathe.[126][127]
Hudson's syndicated talk show, The Jennifer Hudson Show, launched on September 12, 2022.[128] On October 18, 2024, Hudson released her first Christmas album, The Gift of Love and embraced The Gift of Love: An Intimate Live Experience, a tour in the United States.[129][130]
Personal life
Hudson began dating James Payton in 1999, when she was 18.[131] They separated in late 2007. Hudson met David Otunga, a professional wrestler in the WWE and a Harvard Law graduate,[132] and the couple became engaged in September 2008.[133] In August 2009, Hudson gave birth to her first child, her son David Daniel Otunga, Jr.[134] In November 2017, Hudson and Otunga had split.[135][136]
On October 24, 2008, Hudson's 57-year-old mother Darnell Donerson and 29-year-old brother Jason were found shot to death inside the Chicago home Donerson shared with Hudson's older sister, Julia.[137] An AMBER Alert was issued for her 7-year-old nephew, Julian King, when Julia reported him missing.[138][139] Three days later the Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed a body found on Chicago's West Side was the nephew; an autopsy indicated he had died from "multiple gunshot wounds".[140] Police charged William Balfour, Julia's estranged 27-year-old husband, with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of home invasion.[141] Convicted on all seven counts against him,[142] in July 2012, he was sentenced to three life sentences without the possibility of parole (to be served consecutively), followed by an additional 120 years for his other convictions.[143][144] Hudson's family created The Hudson-King Foundation for Families of Slain Victims, in honor of the three victims.[145] Hudson and her sister created the Julian D. King Gift Foundation in honor of her nephew. It provides Christmas presents and school supplies to families in need in the Chicago area.[146]
Hudson has been described as a friend of former President Barack Obama, who invited her to appear with him at a fundraiser in Beverly Hills during his first term in May 2009.[147] She also performed at the White House at the "Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement" event.[148]
In 2022, while working together on their film Breathe, Hudson began dating fellow Chicago native, rapper and actor, Common. The pair confirmed their relationship with an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show in January 2024. When discussing their romance, Common stated "I'm in a relationship that is with one of the most beautiful people I've met in life," he admitted. "She's smart, she loves God, she has something real down to earth about her. She's talented."[151]
Aretha Louise Franklin was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Honored as the "Queen of Soul", she was twice named by Rolling Stone magazine as the greatest singer of all time.
Fantasia Monique Barrino-Taylor, known professionally by her mononym Fantasia, is an American singer and actress. She rose to prominence in 2004 for her performance of the Porgy and Bess standard "Summertime" during the third season of American Idol, and eventually became that season's winner. Following her victory, Barrino became the second woman to have her first single debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, following Lauryn Hill, when her debut single "I Believe", launched atop the chart. Her accolades include two Billboard Music Awards and a Grammy Award, along with nominations for a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA Award. In 2024, Time named her one of the 100 most influential people.
Heather Headley is a Trinidadian-born American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress. She won the 2000 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for the title role of Aida. She also won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album for her album Audience of One. In 2018, she recurred as Gwen Garrett on the NBC medical drama television series Chicago Med.
Jennifer Yvette Holliday is an American singer and actress. She started her career on Broadway in musicals such as Dreamgirls (1981–83), Your Arms Too Short to Box with God (1980–1981) and later became a successful recording artist. She is best known for her debut single, the Dreamgirls number and rhythm-and-blues/pop hit, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", for which she won a Grammy Award in 1983. She also won a 1982 Tony Award for Dreamgirls.
Deborah Christine "Siedah" Garrett is an American singer and songwriter who has written songs and performed backing vocals for many recording artists in the music industry, such as Michael Jackson, the Pointer Sisters, Brand New Heavies, Quincy Jones, Tevin Campbell, Donna Summer, Madonna, Jennifer Hudson among others. Garrett has been nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Original Song, and won the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards for co-writing "Love You I Do" for the 2006 musical film, Dreamgirls.
Dreamgirls is a 2006 American musical drama film written and directed by Bill Condon and jointly produced and released by DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures. Adapted from the 1981 Broadway musical of the same name, Dreamgirls is a film à clef, a work of fiction taking strong inspiration from the history of the Motown record label and its superstar act the Supremes. The story follows the history and evolution of American R&B music during the 1960s and 1970s through the eyes of a Detroit girl group known as "The Dreams" and their manipulative record executive.
Jennifer Odessa Nettles is an American singer, songwriter, actress and record producer.
"Listen" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé. The song was written by Beyoncé, Henry Krieger, Scott Cutler and Anne Preven, and produced by The Underdogs, Matt Sullivan and Randy Spendlove for the 2006 musical film Dreamgirls, in which Beyoncé's character Deena Jones sings the song in an expression of independence from her controlling husband. Columbia Records released "Listen" as the lead single from the Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion Picture soundtrack album on January 19, 2007. It additionally appeared as a hidden track on international editions, and on the deluxe edition of Beyoncé's second solo studio album, B'Day. The Spanish version of the song, "Oye", was released on the EP, Irreemplazable, and the Spanish deluxe edition of B'Day.
Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion Picture is a soundtrack album for the 2006 film Dreamgirls. The album was released by Music World Entertainment and Columbia Records on December 5, 2006 in two versions: a single-disc standard release, and a two-disc deluxe edition. The one-disc version includes highlights from the film's songs, including "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", "One Night Only", and "Listen", while the two disc version includes all songs present in the film alongside several bonus tracks.
"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" is a torch song from the Broadway musical Dreamgirls, with lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Krieger. In the context of the musical, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" is sung by the character Effie White, a singer with the girl group The Dreams, to her manager, Curtis Taylor Jr., whose romantic and professional relationship with Effie is ending. The lyrics to "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", often considered the show's signature tune, describe Effie's love for Curtis, both strongly devoted and defiant. She refuses to let Curtis leave her behind, and boldly proclaims to him, "I'm staying and you ... you're gonna love me."
"Love You I Do" is a song recorded by American singer and actress Jennifer Hudson for the soundtrack of the 2006 musical film Dreamgirls. The music for the song was written by Henry Krieger, composer of the original Broadway play, with lyrics by Siedah Garrett. It is one of the four songs featured in the film that are not present in the original Broadway play. It was nominated for the 2007 Academy Award for Best Original Song, and won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.
"Spotlight" is an R&B song by Jennifer Hudson, written and produced by Ne-Yo and Norwegian production duo Stargate for Hudson's self-titled debut album. It was released digitally on June 10, 2008, as the album's first single and reached the top 30 of the US Billboard Hot 100. Outside the US, the track reached the top 20 in Hungary, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
Jennifer Hudson is the debut studio album by American singer and actress Jennifer Hudson. It was first released in Australia, and it physically released in North America on September 30, 2008, by Arista and J Records. Hudson worked with several producers and songwriters on the album, including R. City, Missy Elliott, Brian Kennedy, Ne-Yo, Salaam Remi, T-Pain, Tank, Timbaland and The Underdogs, among others.
Harvey Jay Mason jr. is an American record producer, songwriter and film producer who has been chief executive officer (CEO) of the Recording Academy and MusiCares since 2021. From both his solo work and as part of the production duo the Underdogs, he has been credited on releases for artists including Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, Justin Bieber, and Ariana Grande. He is the founder and CEO of Harvey Mason Media.
American singer and actress Jennifer Hudson has released four studio albums, sixteen singles, five promotional singles and ten music videos. She has also made various contributions to other artist's albums and has appeared on the soundtrack for the 2006 musical film, Dreamgirls.
Amber Patrice Riley sometimes known mononymously as RILEY, is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her portrayal of Mercedes Jones on the Fox comedy-drama series Glee (2009–2015). For her performance on the series, she was nominated for three NAACP Image Awards, and won a shared Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. As a member of the cast, Riley charted over 200 entries on the Billboard Hot 100, and was nominated for a Grammy Award.
Cynthia Onyedinmanasu Chinasaokwu Erivo is a British actress and singer. She gained recognition for starring in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple from 2015 to 2017. She earned numerous accolades for her performance, including the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Erivo ventured into films in 2018, playing roles in the heist film Widows and the thriller Bad Times at the El Royale.
Respect is a 2021 American biographical musical drama film directed by Liesl Tommy, written by Tracey Scott Wilson and Callie Khouri, based on the life of American singer Aretha Franklin. The film stars Jennifer Hudson as Franklin, with Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, and Mary J. Blige in supporting roles. The film follows the first three decades of Franklin's life, from being born as a musical prodigy in an affluent African-American family, the repercussions of losing her mother at age 10 to her arduous rise to international musical stardom, while enduring an abusive marriage, ultimately concluding with the recording of her influential live album Amazing Grace (1972).
Respect: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album to the 2021 American film Respect, released coinciding with the film's theatrical release on August 13, 2021, by Epic Records and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Music. Based on the life of American singer Aretha Franklin, the film directed by Liesl Tommy, featured singer-actor Jennifer Hudson portraying Franklin. Hudson performed most of the tracks in the album. The soundtrack featured covers of Franklin's songs, and an original song "Here I Am " witten by Hudson, Carole King, and Jamie Hartman and produced by will.i.am and Johnny Goldstein. It was released as a single on June 18, 2021, and had peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart. The soundtrack debuted at number 6 on Billboard Top Soundtracks chart. Respect: Original Motion Picture Score, the score album composed by Kris Bowers released on the same date as the film's soundtrack, by Milan Records.
↑ May 21, 2009, The 10 Greatest 'American Idol' Contestants Of All Time: Latest champ Kris Allen didn't make our list, but you might be surprised by who did. James Montgomery, MTV.
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