Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981) is an American recording artist, actress and spokesperson. She came to prominence in 2004 as one of the finalists on the third season of American Idol, coming in seventh place. She made her film debut in the 2006 film Dreamgirls, which won her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, an NAACP Image Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
She won a Grammy Award for her eponymous debut album, Jennifer Hudson, which was released in 2008 on Arista Records and was certified gold by the RIAA for selling over 800,000 copies in the US; sales exceeded 1 million copies worldwide. Additionally, it spawned the hit single Spotlight. Her second album, I Remember Me, was released in March 2011, and reached number two on the Billboard 200, selling 165,000 copies in its first week of release.
In late 2008, after Hudson's mother, brother and nephew were killed in a shooting, Hudson stepped out of the limelight for three months. Hudson resumed her public appearances in 2009, and has since performed at the Super Bowl XLIII, the Grammy Awards, American Idol, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Hudson has been described as a friend of President Barack Obama, who invited her to appear with him at a fundraiser in Beverly Hills in May 2009. She also performed at the White House at the "Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement" event. Her vocal range is mezzo-soprano. Hudson has sold 1,280,000 albums and 2,237,000 tracks in the United States as of February 2012.
2011-present: I Remember Me
Early in the album's development, Ne-Yo told E! Online that Hudson was ready to get personal on her second studio album. When probed for details he said that he might be producing the album. He also said "I'm pretty good at writing personal records...It starts with her idea and her thoughts." 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." Hudson released her second studio album I Remember Me on March 22, 2011. I Remember Me debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 selling 165,000 copies in its first week of release. On January 24, 2011 Hudson premiered the album's lead single "Where You At". It was written by R.Kelly and produced by Harvey Mason, Jr.[54] The song went for radio adds that same week. 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, having so far reached a peak of number 10. The music video premiered on BET's 106 & Park and through Vevo on February 24, 2011. "No One Gonna Love You" impacted on Urban adult contemporary radio in the United States on May 24, 2011. A remix bundle titled "No One Gonna Love You-The Remixes" was released as a digital download in the US and the UK on July 13, 2011. The song has reached number 23 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.The third U.S. single will be "I Got This". Non-single track "Don't Look Down" reached number 70 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Hudson will play a nun in the Farrelly brothers upcoming film The Three Stooges, scheduled to be released in 2012.
Following the death of Whitney Houston on February 11, 2012, Hudson paid tribute to Houston interpreting "I Will Always Love You" during the 54th Grammy Awards held on February 12, 2012 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
Personal life
Hudson began dating James Payton in 1999, when she was 18. The couple separated in late 2007. Hudson met David Otunga, a professional wrestler in the WWE and a Harvard Law graduate, and the couple became engaged on September 12, 2008. On August 10, 2009, Hudson gave birth to her first child with Otunga; a boy named David Daniel Otunga Jr.
Family murders
On October 24, 2008, Hudson's 57-year-old mother, Darnell Donnerson, and the singer's 29-year-old brother, Jason, were found shot to death inside the Chicago home Donnerson shared with Hudson's elder sister, Julia. An AMBER Alert was issued for Hudson's 7-year-old nephew, Julian King, after Hudson's sister, Julia, reported him missing.
Later that day, Chicago police arrested a suspect, William Balfour, 27, the estranged husband of Hudson's sister Julia, but he was not charged with the crime.[77] Balfour was on parole and had spent nearly seven years in prison for attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and possession of a stolen vehicle. The Illinois Department of Corrections' records revealed one of Balfour's addresses to be the home where Donnerson and Jason Hudson were murdered.
Three days later, on October 27, 2008, the dead body of a young boy was found inside a 1994 Chevrolet Suburban parked on a street in Chicago's West Side area. The license plate and the vehicle's description matched that given in the AMBER Alert. The FBI confirmed the body was that of Julian King. Autopsy reports released on October 29, 2008, from the Cook County Medical Examiner's office indicated that Julian King's death was due to "multiple gunshot wounds".
A gun found in a West Side vacant lot was confirmed to be the murder weapon by Chicago police Superintendent Jody Weis on October 31, 2008. The gun belonged to Jason Hudson and had been missing for several months.
Funeral services for the three victims were held on November 3, followed by a private service at Chicago's South Side Apostolic Church of God on November 10. Hudson's family announced creation of The Hudson-King Foundation for Families of Slain Victims, in honor of Hudson's mother, brother and nephew.
Because he had not yet been officially charged with the murders, Balfour appeared without an attorney at a 35-minute parole violation hearing on November 10, 2008. At the hearing it was decided that he was believed to have violated parole and should be held in custody until a December 3 hearing before the full Illinois Prisoner Review Board.
Balfour became the prime suspect on December 1, 2008, and was transferred into police custody. A police department spokesperson said, "He is awaiting formal charges for three counts of murder. There likely will be a press conference once there are formal charges against him." Balfour was officially charged with three counts of first degree murder, one count of home invasion and was denied bail. Balfour was indicted for the murders on December 30, 2008, and pleaded not guilty in a January 27, 2009, court appearance.
On February 1, 2009, Hudson made her first public appearance since the murders when she sang the Star-Spangled Banner at Super Bowl XLIII.
On January 19, 2012, Cook County Judge Charles Burns rejected the defense's request for a further postponment in the trial and set a date of April 23, 2012, for opening remarks to commence.
Other media
As of April 1, 2010, Hudson became the spokesperson for Weight Watchers. She has lost 56 pounds (25 kg) in the last year and "does not want to lose any more weight." However, on February 10, 2011, she appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and revealed she has now lost a total of 80 pounds. Her 2012 autobiography, I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down, detailed her weight loss.
She won a Grammy Award for her eponymous debut album, Jennifer Hudson, which was released in 2008 on Arista Records and was certified gold by the RIAA for selling over 800,000 copies in the US; sales exceeded 1 million copies worldwide. Additionally, it spawned the hit single Spotlight. Her second album, I Remember Me, was released in March 2011, and reached number two on the Billboard 200, selling 165,000 copies in its first week of release.
In late 2008, after Hudson's mother, brother and nephew were killed in a shooting, Hudson stepped out of the limelight for three months. Hudson resumed her public appearances in 2009, and has since performed at the Super Bowl XLIII, the Grammy Awards, American Idol, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Hudson has been described as a friend of President Barack Obama, who invited her to appear with him at a fundraiser in Beverly Hills in May 2009. She also performed at the White House at the "Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement" event. Her vocal range is mezzo-soprano. Hudson has sold 1,280,000 albums and 2,237,000 tracks in the United States as of February 2012.
2011-present: I Remember Me
Early in the album's development, Ne-Yo told E! Online that Hudson was ready to get personal on her second studio album. When probed for details he said that he might be producing the album. He also said "I'm pretty good at writing personal records...It starts with her idea and her thoughts." 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." Hudson released her second studio album I Remember Me on March 22, 2011. I Remember Me debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 selling 165,000 copies in its first week of release. On January 24, 2011 Hudson premiered the album's lead single "Where You At". It was written by R.Kelly and produced by Harvey Mason, Jr.[54] The song went for radio adds that same week. 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, having so far reached a peak of number 10. The music video premiered on BET's 106 & Park and through Vevo on February 24, 2011. "No One Gonna Love You" impacted on Urban adult contemporary radio in the United States on May 24, 2011. A remix bundle titled "No One Gonna Love You-The Remixes" was released as a digital download in the US and the UK on July 13, 2011. The song has reached number 23 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.The third U.S. single will be "I Got This". Non-single track "Don't Look Down" reached number 70 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Hudson will play a nun in the Farrelly brothers upcoming film The Three Stooges, scheduled to be released in 2012.
Following the death of Whitney Houston on February 11, 2012, Hudson paid tribute to Houston interpreting "I Will Always Love You" during the 54th Grammy Awards held on February 12, 2012 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
Personal life
Hudson began dating James Payton in 1999, when she was 18. The couple separated in late 2007. Hudson met David Otunga, a professional wrestler in the WWE and a Harvard Law graduate, and the couple became engaged on September 12, 2008. On August 10, 2009, Hudson gave birth to her first child with Otunga; a boy named David Daniel Otunga Jr.
Family murders
On October 24, 2008, Hudson's 57-year-old mother, Darnell Donnerson, and the singer's 29-year-old brother, Jason, were found shot to death inside the Chicago home Donnerson shared with Hudson's elder sister, Julia. An AMBER Alert was issued for Hudson's 7-year-old nephew, Julian King, after Hudson's sister, Julia, reported him missing.
Later that day, Chicago police arrested a suspect, William Balfour, 27, the estranged husband of Hudson's sister Julia, but he was not charged with the crime.[77] Balfour was on parole and had spent nearly seven years in prison for attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and possession of a stolen vehicle. The Illinois Department of Corrections' records revealed one of Balfour's addresses to be the home where Donnerson and Jason Hudson were murdered.
Three days later, on October 27, 2008, the dead body of a young boy was found inside a 1994 Chevrolet Suburban parked on a street in Chicago's West Side area. The license plate and the vehicle's description matched that given in the AMBER Alert. The FBI confirmed the body was that of Julian King. Autopsy reports released on October 29, 2008, from the Cook County Medical Examiner's office indicated that Julian King's death was due to "multiple gunshot wounds".
A gun found in a West Side vacant lot was confirmed to be the murder weapon by Chicago police Superintendent Jody Weis on October 31, 2008. The gun belonged to Jason Hudson and had been missing for several months.
Funeral services for the three victims were held on November 3, followed by a private service at Chicago's South Side Apostolic Church of God on November 10. Hudson's family announced creation of The Hudson-King Foundation for Families of Slain Victims, in honor of Hudson's mother, brother and nephew.
Because he had not yet been officially charged with the murders, Balfour appeared without an attorney at a 35-minute parole violation hearing on November 10, 2008. At the hearing it was decided that he was believed to have violated parole and should be held in custody until a December 3 hearing before the full Illinois Prisoner Review Board.
Balfour became the prime suspect on December 1, 2008, and was transferred into police custody. A police department spokesperson said, "He is awaiting formal charges for three counts of murder. There likely will be a press conference once there are formal charges against him." Balfour was officially charged with three counts of first degree murder, one count of home invasion and was denied bail. Balfour was indicted for the murders on December 30, 2008, and pleaded not guilty in a January 27, 2009, court appearance.
On February 1, 2009, Hudson made her first public appearance since the murders when she sang the Star-Spangled Banner at Super Bowl XLIII.
On January 19, 2012, Cook County Judge Charles Burns rejected the defense's request for a further postponment in the trial and set a date of April 23, 2012, for opening remarks to commence.
Other media
As of April 1, 2010, Hudson became the spokesperson for Weight Watchers. She has lost 56 pounds (25 kg) in the last year and "does not want to lose any more weight." However, on February 10, 2011, she appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and revealed she has now lost a total of 80 pounds. Her 2012 autobiography, I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down, detailed her weight loss.
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