b. 12 September 1978, Frankfurt, Germany. Studdard shot to fame in 2003 as the winner of the second series of the hugely successful Fox TV show American Idol. Raised in Birmingham, Alabama, Studdard grew up singing in various church and high school groups, and studied music at his home state’s A&M University. His battle with boy-next-door MOR balladeer Clay Aiken on American Idol enthralled the American audience and helped propel the show to the top of the national ratings. In the end Studdard’s greater versatility proved decisive, tackling everything from his hero Luther Vandross’ version of ‘Superstar’ to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s southern rock chestnut ‘Sweet Home Alabama’. Following the show’s climax in May 2003, Studdard signed a recording contract with veteran svengali Clive Davis’ J Records imprint. Ironically, he was pipped to the top of the US singles chart the following month when Aiken’s ‘This Is The Night’ went one better than his own debut single, ‘Flying Without Wings’. Studdard also reached number 2 on the Billboard R&B chart with ‘Superstar’. In December, he became the third American Idol -related contestant to top the US album charts (after Aiken and series one winner Kelly Clarkson) when Soulful debuted at number 1.
