If you are someone who is fond of watching TV, there is a huge chance that you have stumbled upon a singing competition. So many popular singers these days came from these TV battles and such shows were the “big break” they were waiting for in their careers.

While others made tons of money and remain famous to this day, others went back to their normal lives or struggled to maintain a stable career. Let’s take a look at what your favorite singing competition contestants are up to these days!

Clay Aiken – American Idol – Acting On Broadway

As you can see above, Clay Aiken really bloomed since he first auditioned for Season 2 of American Idol. He only finished second on the show, but he was still able to become a successful singer. His very first album titled Measure of a Man became a multi-platinum record.

In recent years, Aiken tried to run for Congress but ended up losing to Renee Ellmers. He hasn’t released new music in a long time, but he did star in the Broadway show called  Ruben & Clay’s First Annual Family Fun Pageant Spectacular Reunion Christmas Show back in December 2018.

Carrie Underwood – American Idol – Still Singing

Back in 2005, Carrie Underwood’s life changed for the better because she emerged as the winner of American Idol’s fourth season. Her first album called  Some Hearts became a huge success, and she has already released six albums since then. Her most recent one was 2018’s Cry Pretty.

Outside of her music career, she is busy being a mother to her two sons with hubby Mike Fisher. The couple first started dating back in 2008, and they eventually tied the knot two years later. Becoming parents wasn’t an easy road for them because Underwood went through at least three miscarriages.

Chris Daughtry – American Idol – Making Music With His Band

Chris Daughtry is living proof that you can still become successful even if you finished at fourth place in American Idol. After gaining popularity for competing in the show’s fifth season, he later reached a whole new level of success with his own band called Daughtry.

The rock band has been active since the mid-2000s. Back in 2018, they released a new album called Cage to Rattle. Chris had been married to his wife, Deanna, even before he became famous and grew his net worth. They have two kids together, but Deanna also has two other kids from her previous marriage.

Taylor Hicks – American Idol – Theatre Actor

Another American Idol winner who made it on our list is Taylor Hicks. He was the guy who won the fifth season of the talent competition. Since his win, he was able to have his own Las Vegas residency and even got to act on Broadway. 

The last album he released was The Distance in 2009, but he did release a single called Six Strings and Diamond Rings in 2017. Hicks is still making money from stage acting an actually starred in Serenbe Playhouse’s production of Shenandoah earlier in 2019.

Phillip Phillips – American Idol – About To Become A Father

Phillip Phillips is the singer behind the song called Home, which is American Idol’s best-selling song in the history of the show. He won the show back in 2012 and has been continuously pursuing music to this day. His most recent album called Collateral was released back in 2018.

Phillips got married to his girlfriend Hannah Blackwell back in 2015. In July 2019, the couple revealed that Hannah was pregnant with their first child. They are reportedly expecting a boy. We’re sure his singing career will earn him enough funds to provide a bright future for his son.

Fantasia Barrino – American Idol – Singing & Acting

Fantasia Barrino gained massive popularity back in 2004 when she won American Idol’s third season. Some of the popular singles she released over the years were I Believe, When I See U, and Bittersweet. She was also able to appear in the Broadway production of The Color Purple.

These days, Fantasia is still actively pursuing music and is reportedly set to release a new album sometime soon. She is also starting to build an acting portfolio and has an upcoming project that she hasn’t shared that many details about yet.

Adam Lambert – American Idol – Going Solo While Also Collaborating With Queen

You guys might remember Adam Lambert for joining American Idol back in 2009. He didn’t win, but he was able to become a notable name in the music scene. He takes credit for being the very first album chart-topper on Billboard who is openly gay.

He has an amazing solo career, but he is also known for his collaborations with Queen in recent years. It might still be decades before we see Lambert go into retirement because he clearly still has a lot of things going on for him in his career. He is set to release a new album called Velvet.

David Cook – American Idol – New Single & Made His Broadway Debut

David Cook already released his first album back in 2006, but he only rose to fame after he won American Idol two years later. After becoming an Idol winner, he released a self-titled album, which later became a certified platinum album.

Just like Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard, Cook also got to make his way to Broadway. He starred in the production of Kinky Boots as Charlie Price. His music career still grows his bank account to this day, and his most recent release was his 2018 single titled Death of Me.

Paul McDonald – American Idol – New Band With Girlfriend Emily Kinney

Back in 2011, Paul McDonald was a finalist on American Idol’s tenth season. But sadly, he only finished in eighth place on the show. He was able to pursue music professionally, but he just wasn’t able to become as big as the other people who joined the show.

He was able to date some pretty high-profile women in the past just like Twilight actress, Nikki Reed. They actually got married in 2011, but they sadly filed for divorce in 2014. Today, he is dating singer and actress Emily Kinney. The couple formed their own band named The Sweetheart Deal.

Kris Allen – American Idol – NewSingle & American Idol Live!

Kris Allen is another singer who was able to release an album already before stepping on the American Idol stage. He was able to win the show in 2009, and this turned him into an instant star. Some of his most popular songs were No Boundaries and Live Like We’re Dying.

He hasn’t released a new album since 2015 but he did release a song called When All The Stars Have Died back in 2018. Allen is happily married Katy O’Connell who is his high school sweetheart. They already have a son and daughter as of today.

Kelly Clarkson – American Idol – Will Host Her Own Talk Show

Kelly Clarkson is truly an icon in American Idol history because she was the winner of the inaugural season of the show. Her life has been very different since then, and she has remained a big name in music to this day. She already released a total of eight albums so far.

Being a TV personality also earns her some pretty big paychecks these days. She can be seen as one of the coaches on The Voice in 2019, and she is also set to have her very own talk show called The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Lee DeWyze – American Idol – Still Singing

Lee DeWyze emerged as the grand winner of the ninth season of American Idol, which was aired back in 2010. Before joining the show, he was already pursuing music and had his own band named the Lee DeWyze Band. He already released seven albums as of today.

His most recent album release was 2018’s Paranoia. DeWyze is happily married to Jonna Walsh who is an actress and model. However, it is still unknown when the couple plans to have kids of their own. Their careers are probably their top priority for now.

Scotty McCreery – American Idol – New Album & Got Married

In 2011, Scotty McCreery became the winner of Season 10 of American Idol. He was reportedly only seventeen when he won. Clear as Day was the title of his debut album, which reached platinum status in the United States. He also has a certified gold album titled Christmas with Scotty McCreery.

He is already 25 years old today and hasn’t stopped making new music. He actually released a new album titled Seasons Change back in 2018. That same year, he tied the knot with Gabi Dugal whom he reportedly has been dating for a very long time.

Candice Glover – American Idol – Singing & Acting

Candice Glover really dreamed of winning American Idol, and this is why she kept returning to audition after getting rejected. After not making it during the ninth and tenth season, she finally made it as a finalist during the twelfth season.

The odds were truly in her favor that year because she ended up winning. Aside from singing, Glover has also been able to earn money from acting. You might have seen her in Northpole and Underground in the past. In 2019, she appeared in GRITS: Girls Raised in the South.

Caleb Johnson – American Idol – Performed With The Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Pictured above is the winner of Season 13 of American Idol, Caleb Johnson. He actually auditioned during Season 10 and 11 of the show, but things didn’t go as planned. He devoted a year to improve himself, and his hard work eventually paid off when he auditioned for Season 13.

Just like most of the Idol winners, Johnson immediately started working on his album. However, he has only been able to release one album so far. Sadly, it seems like his career isn’t growing as much as we’d expect from a man of his talent. He was known for singing with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra back in 2018.

Nick Fradiani – American Idol – Still Making Music

Nick Fradiani and his band, Beach Avenue, auditioned for America’s Got Talent in 2014, but they got cut after “judgment week”. A year later, Fradiani went solo and joined American Idol. He eventually ended up being the winner of that season.

He later signed with the Big Machine Label Group and was able to release Hurricane. He left the label in 2017, and it seems like he has yet to find a good company that will help him reach his full potential. He released an EP, but it’s unsure when he plans to release a new album. Although, he did release an acoustic version of his song called Scared back in 2018.

Trent Harmon – American Idol – Released An Album In 2018

In case you didn’t know, 2016 was the last year American Idol was seen on Fox. The seasons you get to watch in recent years are part of the ABC revival already. Trent Harmon was the winner of the show’s last season on its previous network.

The prizes he got from winning the show were a Big Machine Records recording contract and a car from Ford. However, he recently decided to leave Big Machine Records in May 2019. Harmon’s debut album titled You Got ‘Em All was released back in 2018.

Maddie Poppe – American Idol – Released Her First Album

Back in 2018, singer Maddie Poppe became the very first winner of the ABC revival of American Idol. This wasn’t her first attempt to join a talent competition on TV because she already auditioned for The Voice back in 2015 but wasn’t able to make it through.

She is only 21 years old as of today, so she definitely will have many years to become better in her craft and grow her savings account like crazy. In May 2019, she finally released her first studio album titled Whirlwind. The most popular song from the album was Made You Miss.

Steve Brookstein – The X Factor – Living A Life Filled With Controversies

The X Factor is another show that gave a lot of singers the big break they were waiting for. Steve Brookstein takes pride in being the guy who won the first ever season of the show back in 2004. As of today, he has released three studio albums and one book already.

The show actually cut ties from Brookstein in recent years after he ranted about Simon Cowell online. He made claims saying that The X Factor was scripted. If you check the X Factor website, you won’t find anything about Brookstein anymore.

Shayne Ward – The X Factor – Acting On Coronation Street

Shayne Ward gained massive popularity back in 2005 when he won The X Factor’s second season. That’s My Goal, which was his debut single, was able to top the UK Singles Chart the same year he won. He has four albums already, but it seems like he isn’t focused on music right now.

He has been making money as an actor, and you guys might have seen him on the show called Coronation Street. Ward is about to get even more known in the acting scene because he is reportedly part of three upcoming movies.

Leona Lewis – The X Factor – Acting & TV Appearances

The beautiful Leona Lewis was the winner of X Factor‘s third season, which aired on TV back in 2006. A year later, she released her very successful debut album titled Spirit, which became a ten-time platinum album in the UK. The album is considered to be among the best-selling albums in the UK.

Over the years, she remained consistent in her music career but also made some earnings from her on-screen and Broadway acting. Wilhelmina Models also represents her when it comes to modeling. In 2019, Lewis appeared in The Oath and Songland.

Leon Jackson – The X Factor – Laying Low

In 2007, Leon Jackson became the winner of season 4 of The X Factor. His first major project after winning was the web series he starred in titled Leon’s Life. His debut album titled Right Now hit stores in 2008, and it had known singles like Stargazing and Creative.

Sony BMG was the record label who represented Jackson in the past, but they, unfortunately, dropped him in 2009. He wasn’t able to sign with a new label, and that’s probably why he has no new music and has been laying low in recent years. Let’s just hope he finds a normal job in the meantime so that he doesn’t become bankrupt.

Alexandra Burke – The X Factor – Making Music & Designing Fashion

Alexandra Burke has been enjoying her busy career ever since she won The X Factor back in 2008. Hallelujah was the title of her winner’s single, and it was actually able to sell a whopping 105K copies in just one day. Her debut album, Overcome, became an instant chart-topper in the UK.

Over the years, Burke was able to get into theatre acting and reality TV. She has also released fashion lines. Burke signed with  Decca Records back in 2017 and was able to release a new album called The Truth Is back in 2018.

Joe McElderry – The X Factor – Pursuing Music & Theatre Acting

Joe McElderry takes credit for being the first X Factor winner who was able to release four studio albums already since winning. Even if he was able to do a lot in his music career, he also made sure he tried other things like theatre acting and joining other reality shows.

Back in 2011, he was able to win Popstar to Operastar. He also became a contestant in The Jump. His role in the Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat is probably the most notable project in his theatre acting portfolio. McElderry has yet to release new music because his last album was still 2017’s Saturday Night at the Movies.

Matt Cardle – The X Factor – NewAlbum & Musical Theatre

After being part of bands during his younger years, Matt Cardle was able to establish himself as a solo artist when he won The X Factor back in 2010. Like the other X-Factor winners, he was also able to make some money from doing theatre work.

He actually gave life to the role of Wally Strand in the West End production of Strictly Ballroom back in 2018. Sony offered Cardle a new deal back in 2017, and he was able to release a new album titled Time to Be Alive in 2018.

Little Mix – The X Factor – Going On Tour

The X Factor was very different from American Idol because singers actually had the opportunity to be put into groups if they weren’t that strong as solo artists. Girl group Little Mix was formed in The X Factor back in 2011, and they became the first ever group who won in the show.

Being part of the group made their bank accounts grow tremendously, and it is nice to see that the group has remained together to this day. They actually released a new album titled LM5 back in 2018, and they are currently busy with their LM5: The Tour, which will last until December 2019.

James Arthur – The X Factor – Releases New Songs

During the ninth season of The X Factor, which aired back in 2012, James Arthur was the guy who emerged victorious in the end. He is known for having a cover of the song titled Impossible by Shontelle, which sold more than 2.5 million copies across the globe.

Arthur already revealed that he battled depression, anxiety, and substance abuse in the past, and he actually became a SANE charity ambassador in 2016. In May 2019, he released a new song titled Falling like the Stars, which he followed up with an official music video.

Sam Bailey – The X Factor – Touring & Performing Musical Theatre

Sam Bailey was the grand winner of The X Factor back in 2013. And as you can see above, her overall look has greatly improved since she first appeared in the show’s auditions. She has better outfit choices these days, and her makeup is always on-point.

Bailey already has two studio albums as of today and has been doing a lot of concert tours. She hasn’t released an album since 2016, but she did release a new single titled Take It Out on the Dance Floor in 2018. In May 2019, she was seen performing in the Albany Theatre, in the musical 42nd Street.

Ben Haenow – The X Factor – Still Singing

Ben Haenow was the season 11 winner of The X Factor back in 2014. His cover of Something I Need by One Republic was a chart-topper and a Christmas number one. Winning on the show opened many doors for him, and he even got to collaborate with American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson.

He is in a good place in his career right now, and we’re sure the fortune he has in the bank will keep getting bigger in the coming years. Haenow was able to release a new album titled Alive back in 2018.

Louisa Johnson – The X Factor – Releasing Singles

If Jordin Sparks was the youngest American Idol winner, Louisa Johnson, on the other hand, was the youngest X Factor winner. She was only seventeen years old when she won the show back in 2015. She is 21 years old today, and her career prospects just keep getting better and better.

She has had a total makeover over the years, and she truly looks like a real superstar these days. As of today, Johnson hasn’t released an album yet, but she has been actively releasing singles. Her most recent one titled Ain’t Got You was released in 2019.

William Hung – American Idol – Working As A Technical Crime Analyst

Despite not passing his audition in American Idol back in 2004, William Hung was still able to develop a cult following. His rendition of She Bangs by Ricky Martin might not have been liked by the Idol judges, but people surely praised him for his attitude and confidence.

Hung originally really wanted to keep on pursuing music. But as of today, he gets his earnings from working at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as a technical crime analyst. We’re sure his several years of fame is something that he loves looking back on.

Ruben Studdard – American Idol – New Album & Appearing On Broadway

Ruben Studdard was the second person who was able to call himself an American Idol winner. That same year he won on the show, his song Superstar earned him his very first Grammy award nomination. His album called Soulful was able to reach platinum status, too.

Back in 2013, Studdard ended up losing weight through joining The Biggest Loser. He still pursues music these days and was able to release a Luther Vandross cover album titled Ruben Sings Luther. He also starred alongside Clay Aiken in a Broadway show back in 2018.

Jordin Sparks – American Idol – Acting

The talented Jordin Sparks was only seventeen years old when she won American Idol back in 2007. As of today, she takes credit for being the youngest person who emerged victorious in the show. She was already able to release three albums so far.

Sparks also ventured out into acting and was most recently seen in Unrelated in 2019. When she’s not working, she’s busy taking care of her baby boy who was born back in 2018. The boy’s father is Dana Thomas whom Sparks has been married to since July 2017.