Just Sam facts for kids

Samantha Diaz (born November 23, 1998), known as Just Sam, is a singer-songwriter from Harlem, New York. They became famous after winning the eighteenth season of the TV singing competition American Idol.

Just Sam's Early Life and Music Journey

Just Sam grew up in Harlem, New York. When they were six years old, their grandmother, Elizabeth, adopted them and their sister, Anabelle. This was after their mother could no longer care for them. Just Sam was featured in a short film in 2018 called Sam, Underground. In this film, Just Sam shared that they were teased in high school for how they dressed. This is how they got their nickname, "Just Sam."

Before becoming famous on American Idol, Just Sam earned money by singing. They would perform for people in subway trains. This is called busking. They also tried out for other TV shows like America's Got Talent and The Voice. However, those opportunities did not work out.

Winning American Idol

Just Sam tried out for the eighteenth season of American Idol. Their audition was in Washington, D.C., on October 14, 2019. They did very well during "Hollywood Week" and made it to the Top 5. On May 17, 2020, Just Sam won the competition. They received the most votes and beat the runner-up, Arthur Gunn.

Performing During the Pandemic

Just Sam's win was special because it happened during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The show's production had to stop in March 2020. Because of the pandemic, the rest of the show was filmed remotely. This means contestants performed from different places. Most contestants sang from their homes. Just Sam chose to stay in an apartment in Los Angeles. Many of their live performances were filmed there. The winner was also announced remotely. This was the first time an American Idol winner was revealed virtually.

After American Idol

After winning American Idol in May 2020, Just Sam signed a contract with Hollywood Records. However, they left the label soon after without releasing any albums. In 2022, Just Sam explained that making music is harder than it seems. They said it takes time and money they did not have.

Just Sam had to pay Hollywood Records to get back the music they recorded. They said this left them "broke." But they planned to release music when they could. On March 13, 2021, Just Sam released their first song since American Idol. It was called "Africando." They wrote it with a co-writer named Cat Clark. They released it independently, meaning without a major record label. On September 28, 2021, they released another song called "Change." They wrote this song with Cat Clark too. Just Sam dedicated "Change" to family and friends who had passed away.

Returning to Busking

In 2023, Just Sam shared that they had returned to busking in New York City's subways. This was three years after winning American Idol. Just Sam said they had to busk again to pay their rent and buy food. They had not expected to need to do it for survival. This situation made people question how reality talent shows support their winners. After this, famous rapper Lil Durk and producer Timbaland offered support to Just Sam. Timbaland even shared a video of Just Sam singing on his TikTok page.

In late 2023, Just Sam signed a deal with a management company called CrowdMGMT. They also got a new agent. On April 28, 2024, Just Sam returned to American Idol as a guest performer. They sang "One Moment in Time" by Whitney Houston. This was their first time performing on the American Idol stage since their victory in 2020.

Personal Life

Just Sam uses singular 'they' pronouns. In August 2022, Just Sam was in the hospital for an illness. They later shared that they were feeling much better.

Just Sam's Music Releases

Singles