Ruben Studdard facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ruben Studdard
Studdard in 2009
Background information
Born	(1978-09-12) September 12, 1978 (age 46) Frankfurt, West Germany
Origin	Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Genres	R&B pop gospel
Occupation(s)	Singer actor
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2002–present
Labels	19 J Hickory Shanachie Verve

Ruben Studdard was born on September 12, 1978. He is an American singer and actor. He became famous after winning the second season of American Idol. In 2003, he was nominated for a Grammy Award for his song "Superstar".

After American Idol, Ruben released seven studio albums. These include his very popular first album, Soulful, and his best-selling gospel album, I Need an Angel. He is known for hit songs like "Flying Without Wings", "Sorry 2004", and "Change Me". He has also worked in TV and on stage. He played Fats Waller in a play called Ain't Misbehavin'. The music from this play was also nominated for a Grammy.

In 2013, Ruben was on the TV show The Biggest Loser, which is about losing weight. Later, he worked with David Foster on his sixth album, Unconditional Love, in 2014. This album was well-liked and he toured with Lalah Hathaway. In 2018, Ruben released an album called Ruben Sings Luther. This album was a tribute to the singer Luther Vandross, who Ruben is often compared to. He then started his "Always & Forever" tour.

In December 2018, he performed on Broadway theater with Clay Aiken, who was the runner-up on his American Idol season. Their show was called Ruben & Clay's Christmas Show. In 2023, Ruben and Clay toured together again for "Twenty The Tour". This tour celebrated 20 years since they first appeared on American Idol. Ruben also continues to tour for his Ruben Sings Luther album. In 2023, he released his eighth album, The Way I Remember It.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Ruben Studdard was born in Frankfurt, West Germany. His parents were American, and his father was in the U.S. Army there. He grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. He was the youngest child of two teachers. When he was three, he sang for the first time at a church in Birmingham. He kept singing gospel songs in church as a child.

At Huffman High School, he played football. He even got a scholarship to Alabama A&M University for it. While at Alabama A&M, he joined a music group called Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Ruben grew up listening to his mother's music, including Donny Hathaway and gospel songs. He decided to pursue a music career. He studied voice at Alabama A&M. He sang with a local jazz and R&B band called Just a Few Cats. Ruben later said he worked very hard to get into the music business before American Idol. A backup singer from his band asked him to go with her to an audition for American Idol in Nashville, Tennessee.

Becoming an American Idol Star

For his American Idol audition, Ruben sang "Ribbon in the Sky" by Stevie Wonder. On the show, he impressed everyone with his performances. He sang "Superstar" and "A Whole New World". Famous musicians like Lionel Richie, Luther Vandross, and Gladys Knight praised him.

During the show, fans gave Ruben the nickname "Velvet Teddy Bear". He was also known for wearing shirts with "205" on them, which is the phone area code for his hometown, Birmingham.

Ruben won the competition in May 2003. He beat Clay Aiken by a small number of votes. The Governor of Alabama, Bob Riley, even declared March 11, 2003, as "Ruben Studdard Day".

Performances on American Idol

Here are some of the songs Ruben sang and how he did on American Idol:

Music Career Highlights

Soulful and I Need an Angel

Ruben released his first song, "Flying Without Wings", in 2003. It was a cover of a Westlife song. This song quickly became very popular. In December 2003, his first album, Soulful, was released. It sold over 400,000 copies in its first week and reached number one on the music charts. The song "Sorry 2004" from this album was also a big hit. In 2003, Ruben was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Superstar". He won the NAACP Outstanding New Artist award in March 2004.

On November 23, 2004, Ruben released a gospel album called I Need an Angel. The main song, "I Need an Angel", was a cover of a song by Daniel DeBourg. The album sold over 96,000 copies in its first week. It reached number one on the Gospel charts and sold over 500,000 copies in total.

Around this time, Ruben started a diet and fitness program. He wanted to improve his health because of his family's history with diabetes. He lost over 70 pounds by eating a vegetarian diet.

In 2004, Ruben appeared in the movie Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. He sang "Shining Star" in the film. He also made guest appearances on TV shows like 8 Simple Rules and One on One.

The Return and Love Is

Ruben's third album, The Return, came out in October 2006. This album brought him back to R&B music. He worked with famous producers like Ne-Yo. The Return sold 71,000 copies in its first week. The first song, "Change Me", became number one on Billboard's Urban Contemporary chart.

Ruben continued to tour and perform different types of music. In 2008, he played Fats Waller in a play called Ain't Misbehavin'. In December 2007, Ruben left his record company, J Records. However, he still performed the farewell song for American Idol season 7, "Celebrate Me Home". He also worked with gospel singers Deitrick Haddon and Mary Mary on the song "Love Him As I Do".

His next album, Love Is, was released on May 19, 2009. It was produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The album included new songs and covers of older ones. It received good reviews. In 2009, Ruben toured with "David Foster and Friends". He also released a collection of his best songs in 2010.

In March 2010, Ruben returned to American Idol to perform. He announced that he would be touring with Clay Aiken that summer. Their "Timeless" tour featured a mix of songs from the 1960s to the 1990s, along with some comedy.

Letters from Birmingham and The Biggest Loser

In 2011, Ruben signed with Shanachie Entertainment. His fifth album, Letters from Birmingham, was released in March 2012. This album told a story through romantic letters. It received mostly good reviews. The song "June 28 (I'm Single)" talked about his marriage and divorce.

In 2013, Ruben joined the TV show The Biggest Loser. He was the first celebrity contestant on the show. He started at 462 pounds. He was eliminated twice but returned once. By the end of the show in February 2014, he had lost 119 pounds. He said losing weight helped him perform better on stage.

At the show's finale, Ruben performed "Meant to Be", a song from his new album, Unconditional Love. This album was his sixth studio album and his first with Verve Records. David Foster produced it. Ruben said it was "the album that everybody expected from me when I won American Idol." It included covers of love songs and two new songs. Critics praised the album, saying Ruben was "at the top of his game vocally."

Recent Music and Broadway

Ruben continues to appear on American Idol. In 2016, he released a new song called "Can't Nobody Love You". In 2017, he released a cover of "A Change Is Gonna Come". He also sang on Patti LaBelle's holiday album.

In 2018, Ruben released Ruben Sings Luther, a tribute album to Luther Vandross. He then started his "Always & Forever" tour. Ruben told People Magazine that people had been asking him to sing Luther's songs for a long time. Both the album and tour received great reviews.

In December 2018, Ruben made his Broadway theater debut. He reunited with Clay Aiken for Ruben & Clay's Christmas Show at the Imperial Theatre. Part of the ticket sales went to a charity called the National Inclusion Project.

Ruben continued his Ruben Sings Luther tour until 2023. In 2023, he and Clay Aiken went on a joint tour called "Twenty The Tour". This tour celebrated 20 years since they first appeared on American Idol.

In 2023, Ruben signed a new record deal. On October 27, 2023, he released his eighth album, The Way I Remember It. This was his first album of new songs since 2014. It included singles like "The Way I Remember It" and "Masterpiece". In 2024, Ruben and Clay Aiken competed on The Masked Singer as "Beets".

Acting Roles

Ruben Studdard has acted in several TV shows. He appeared in single episodes of 8 Simple Rules, Life on a Stick, All of Us, Eve, and One on One. He also had a small role in the movie Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. He was in a TV commercial for a car dealer.

Ruben starred as Fats Waller in the play Ain't Misbehavin'. He performed with other American Idol singers like Trenyce and Frenchie Davis. His performance received good reviews. The cast recording album for the play was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.

Helping Others

Ruben Studdard loves music and created The Ruben Studdard Foundation for the Advancement of Children in the Music Arts. This foundation helps promote the importance of arts education for students in the Birmingham area.

Ruben also became a spokesperson for "Be Sickle Smart". This program teaches people about iron overload in those with sickle-cell disease.

Personal Life and Education

Ruben Studdard met Surata Zuri McCants in October 2006. They married on June 28, 2008, in Alabama. They later divorced in April 2012. In June 2018, he married Kristin Moore. They have a son born in 2020 and a daughter born in 2024.

Ruben received an honorary Master of Arts degree from Alabama A&M University. He had previously earned a Bachelor's degree in vocal studies there. He is also a member of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity. In 2022, Ruben taught a special class for performing arts students at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Awards and Nominations

Ruben Studdard has won and been nominated for several awards:

Studio Albums

Here are Ruben Studdard's main studio albums:

Film and TV Appearances

• One on One (2004)
• Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004)
• 8 Simple Rules (2005)
• Life on a Stick (2005)
• All of Us (2005)
• Natural Born Komics (2006) (direct-to-DVD)
• Eve (2006)
• Lifted (2011)
• The Perfect Gift (2011)

See also

In Spanish: Ruben Studdard para niños

• List of Idols winners