Just Sam facts for kids

Samantha Diaz (born November 23, 1998), known by their stage name Just Sam, is a singer-songwriter from Harlem, New York. They became famous after winning the eighteenth season of the singing reality show American Idol.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Just Sam grew up in Harlem, New York. When they were six years old, their grandmother, Elizabeth, adopted Just Sam and their sister, Anabelle. This happened after their mother was unable to care for them.

In 2018, Just Sam was featured in a short film called Sam, Underground. In this film, Just Sam shared that they were teased in high school because of how they dressed. This experience inspired their nickname, "Just Sam."

Before becoming famous on American Idol, Just Sam earned money by singing and performing in subway trains. They also tried out for other TV shows like America's Got Talent and The Voice, but they did not make it onto those shows.

Winning American Idol

Just Sam auditioned for the eighteenth season of American Idol in Washington, D.C., on October 14, 2019. They did very well during "Hollywood Week" and made it into the Top 5.

On May 17, 2020, Just Sam received the most votes and was announced as the winner of American Idol Season 18. They won against the runner-up, Arthur Gunn.

This season was special because it happened during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the pandemic, the show had to stop filming in March 2020. The rest of the season was filmed remotely, meaning contestants performed from their homes. Just Sam chose to stay in an apartment in Los Angeles for their performances, instead of going back to their grandmother's home in New York City. The winner was also announced virtually, which was a first for American Idol.

Performances on American Idol

Other Performances

After American Idol

After winning American Idol in May 2020, Just Sam signed a deal with Hollywood Records. However, they later left the label without releasing any albums. In 2022, Just Sam explained that making music in the industry takes a lot of time and money. They even had to pay Hollywood Records to get back the music they had recorded. Just Sam said they "ended up broke" but planned to release music when they could.

On March 13, 2021, Just Sam released their first song since American Idol, called "Africando." They wrote it with a co-writer named Cat Clark. On September 28, 2021, they released a second song called "Change," also written with Cat Clark. Just Sam dedicated this song to family and friends who had passed away.

In 2023, Just Sam shared that they had returned to singing in New York City's subways. This was three years after winning American Idol. They explained that they needed to do it to pay their rent and buy food. This situation made many people question how reality talent shows support their contestants after the show ends. After this, famous artists like rapper Lil Durk and producer Timbaland offered their support to Just Sam. Timbaland even featured Just Sam performing live on his TikTok page.

In late 2023, Just Sam signed with a management company called CrowdMGMT and got a new agent.

On April 28, 2024, Just Sam returned to the American Idol stage as a guest performer. They sang a cover of "One Moment in Time" by Whitney Houston. This was their first performance on the American Idol stage since their big win in 2020.

Personal Life

Just Sam uses they/them pronouns.

In August 2022, Just Sam was in the hospital due to an illness. Their weight dropped, but they later shared that they were "doing much better."

Discography

Singles