American Idol's Most Memorable Contestants: Where Are They Now?

The OG American Idol champ, Clarkson was just 20 years old when she won the inaugural season of the show. After fulfilling Idol-related commitments (we're looking at you, From Justin to Kelly), Clarkson launched an incredibly successful solo career. She has 15 Grammy nominations and three wins, three No. 1 hits (per Billboard), and has sold millions of albums worldwide.

Clarkson has served as a coach on The Voice since 2018, telling PEOPLE at the time why returning to her reality show roots was important.

"I choose to do this because I think it's fun, and it's a rad thing to be a part of," she said. "I really want to find someone that I can pay it forward to. I would love to say, 'Man, I turned my chair for them and I was able to find a fabulous singer who can go on tour with me and have a huge career after this.' "

The music superstar expanded her TV reach and began hosting The Kelly Clarkson Show in 2019, which earned her a Daytime Emmy Award for outstanding entertainment talk show host in June 2020. Later this year, Clarkson's titular talk show will take over The Ellen DeGeneres Show's time slot on NBC following the program's 19th and final season.

Guarini was Idol's first-ever runner-up. He starred alongside Clarkson in the infamous film From Justin to Kelly shortly after their season wrapped.

Taking his talents to Broadway, Guarini made his stage debut in 2010's Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. He's also had roles in American Idiot, Wicked and Romeo and Juliet. Since 2015, he's starred in Dr. Pepper commercials as the comical character "Lil Sweet."

After beating out runner-up Clay Aiken in the sophomore season of Idol, Studdard continued to captivate audiences with his soulful voice, receiving a Grammy nomination for best male R&B vocal performance for "Superstar" in 2003. He's released seven studio albums to date, including the platinum Superstar in 2003.

He has also appeared on The Biggest Loser, where he lost 119 lbs., in 2013, and received an honorary Master of Arts degree from Alabama A&M two years later.

In December 2018, he reunited with Aiken on Broadway for the holiday-themed Ruben & Clay's First Annual Christmas Carol Family Fun Pageant Spectacular Reunion Show.

Studdard is set to return to the classroom in March 2022, where he'll teach two master classes for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Department of Performing Arts, the university announced.

Though Aiken lost to Studdard, his first studio album, Measure of a Man, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and went double platinum. Aiken has since released five other studio albums, including the platinum Merry Christmas with Love.

A dedicated advocate for children with special needs, Aiken (who was a special education teacher prior before finding fame on Idol) founded The National Inclusion Project in 2003. A portion of the proceeds from Ruben & Clay's First Annual Christmas Carol Family Fun Pageant Spectacular Reunion Show benefitted the nonprofit.

The artist also brought the heat to Broadway in 2008, starring in Monty Python's Spamalot. In 2012, he returned to competitive reality TV for The Celebrity Apprentice, and was named runner-up. Phineas and Ferb, The Office, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Drop Dead Diva have all welcomed Aiken as a guest star.

In 2014, Aiken won the Democratic primary when he ran to represent North Carolina's second congressional district, but lost to the Republican incumbent in the general election. In January 2022, he announced he was running for office again, seeking the Democratic nomination in a redrawn congressional district. 

Gracin came in fourth place on the second season of Idol, and completed his service with the U.S. Marine Corps after the show wrapped. After he was honorably discharged from the military, the country singer signed a record deal and his single "Nothin' to Lose" topped the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in 2004.

Gracin has continued to tour, and is a proud father of five.

The season 3 winner, Barrino went on to land a cool 12 Grammy nominations (including one win!). Following her victory, she published a memoir (dictated to a writer), Life Is Not a Fairy Tale, in which she revealed that she was illiterate. "[After] putting out my Lifetime movie and my book [Life Is Not a Fairy Tale], [people] picked certain things in the book, [saying], 'She's illiterate, she's dumb,' " Barrino later recalled to Gayle King. "[And] I had to sit and hear comedians crack their jokes, and certain people say what they had to say."

She also took her acting talents to TV, movies and Broadway, where she starred as Celie in The Color Purple. In August 2010, she was hospitalized and treated for a "medication overdose." While speaking with King, Barrino opened up about dealing with depression, noting that she struggled during her American Idol stint, which was followed by a home foreclosure, a throat tumor she developed in 2008 while on Broadway, and business troubles, including mismanaged money.

In 2021, she and husband Kendall Taylor welcomed their first child, a daughter named Keziah.

American Idol's first and only contestant to win an Oscar (for Best Supporting Actress in 2006's Dreamgirls) and Grammy (for best R&B album, Jennifer Hudson, in 2009), Hudson has come a long way since placing seventh on the singing competition show. She has released four studio albums, with her most recent being 2014's JHUD. In 2010, she became a spokesperson for Weight Watchers, which she credits for her 80-lb. weight loss.

Most recently, the mom of one stunned audiences with her portrayal of Aretha Franklin in Respect. 

Few Idol auditions are as memorable as Hung's rendition of Ricky Martin's "She Bangs." While Hung, who got married to Jian Teng in 2014, didn't make it to Hollywood, he struck a chord with viewers. Hung signed a record deal, released a few albums and ultimately retired from singing in 2011, swapping a career in music for a job at the L.A. County Department of Public Health. Unsurprisingly, Hung still gets recognized.

"Everybody knows me," he told PEOPLE in 2015. "When I go try to watch a baseball game or just go shopping or do general everyday things, people recognize who I am. They ask me, 'May I have your picture? Aren't you the 'She Bangs' guy?' It helps a lot because it's much easier for me to make friends and make professional connections. It's great."

Since taking home the top prize on season 4 of American Idol in 2005, the Oklahoma native has continued to rise up the music ranks, earning Grammys, CMA AWards and critical praise for her storytelling and vocal talents. In a 2015 interview with Parade, a decade after making her TV debut, the country crooner reflected on her time on the music competition show.

"Idol was probably the most horrifying thing, because I had never been away from my hometown like that before," Underwood, who is married to pro hockey player Mike Fisher and is mom to two boys, told the outlet. As for what she thought right after winning Idol, Underwood shared with Parade that she tried to keep her thinking practical.

"I always kept in my head, 'If nothing else ever comes of this, I got to do the coolest thing ever and I won American Idol. I was like, 'Okay, I will just have fun with this and save up as much money as I can and finish school and get a real job.' Because I am always a practical thinker and would never allow myself to think it would turn out okay all the time."

You can catch the superstar on the latest portion of her Las Vegas residency starting March 23.

The rocker made it to sixth place on season 4 of Idol. He released his debut solo album, Constantine, in 2007. Maroulis has enjoyed a successful post-reality show Broadway career, and even scored a Tony nomination for his leading role in Rock of Ages. In 2015, the singer was arrested for allegedly assaulting girlfriend Angel Reed. A week later, he was arrested again for violating an order of protection by sending her emails. The charges were eventually dropped. Reed and Maroulis welcomed daughter Malena James in 2010.

The American Idol runner-up juggled singing and acting after Taylor Hicks was crowned the season 5 winner. McPhee went on to release five albums, with the most recent one being 2017's I Fall in Love Too Easily. She also has appeared in the TV series Smash and the Anna Faris-fronted film The House Bunny, among other onscreen projects.

In 2019, she married music producer David Foster; together they have one son, Rennie.

Despite getting eliminated after making it to the final four on American Idol in 2006, the rocker has proven to have a successful career, forming his band Daughtry shortly after leaving the show. His band picked up a Grammy nomination for best rock song for their single, "It's Not Over," in 2008.

"It was the best thing that ever happened, as far as my career is concerned," Daughtry told PEOPLE of his days on the singing competition show. "Otherwise, people wouldn't have a clue who I was."

He recently postponed his upcoming tour following the sudden death of his stepdaughter, Hannah.

Young made it to the top seven before being eliminated the year Taylor Hicks won. Since then, the Colorado native has written and starred in Broadway's Hair, where he and American Idol alum Diana DeGarmo (season 3 runner-up) met and fell in love. They tied the knot in 2013.

"I'm more excited about what ABC does with the show we already love," Young revealed to AJC.com of the Idol reboot. "They feel they can do it better. I'm curious to see what they bring to the table."

Following his Idol win, Hicks released three albums and was featured on a Grammy-winning album, Jimmy Fallon's comedy album Blow Your Pants Off. Hicks also became the first-ever Idol winner to score a longterm Las Vegas residency, from June 2012 to January 2013.

And singing isn't his only talent. In 2017, it was announced Hicks would serve as the host of a new show, INSP Channel's State Plate, which sees the singer traveling around the country to explore different types of foods.

Pickler finished in sixth place during season 5 of American Idol. She since solidified her presence in the world of country music, thanks to singles such as "Best Days of Your Life." Of course, Pickler went on to win another reality competition: season 16 of Dancing with the Stars, alongside pro Derek Hough. She also hosted the daytime talk show, Pickler & Ben, which first aired in September 2017.

With American Idol continuing its reign, Pickler said she would love to go back to the show. "It forever changed my life, and I will always be grateful to have been a part of the show," she told PEOPLE.

In 2007, Sparks, who was 17 at the time, was crowned the Idol winner — the youngest in the singing competition show's history. Not only has Sparks found fame with her singing career, but she also has dabbled in acting, landing a role in Broadway's In the Heights, and starred opposite Whitney Houston in 2012's Sparkle.

In terms of her personal life, Sparks revealed to PEOPLE in 2017 that she had married Dana Isaiah and was expecting the couple's first child. Son DJ joined the family in 2018.

Known for his envy-inducing hair and for being a fixture on E!'s now-defunct The Soup, the Idol finalist was an obvious standout from the rest of his competition not just for his voice, but for his heartthrob status.

Since the show's end, Malakar has starred in another reality TV show — I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! — and continues to make music, notably lending his voice to the album Good Merlin by The Chaz Lipp Groove Tripp. And in case you were wondering about what the Idol alumnus currently looks like, a quick scan of his Instagram shows Malakar traded in his fan-favorite locks for a bushy beard.

Cook won the seventh season of the singing competition in 2008, hitting a high with the moody single "The Time of My Life" which was certified platinum. He has since released three albums, two EPs and headlined four tours. In 2018, Cook made his way to Broadway, starring in Kinky Boots.

Two years later, he opened up to PEOPLE about the "therapeutic process" of releasing his song "Reds Turn Blue" to navigate anxiety.

"A couple years after Idol, I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, and have spent the last almost decade really going through the process of navigating that and picking up new tools and processes along the way to deal with it," Cook said at the time. "This song became a therapeutic process for me, as a way to personify my anxiety and make it something other than me."

The baby-faced singer was only 16 years old when he auditioned for the seventh season of Idol, eventually coming in second place behind Cook. Since then, he's released six studio albums, including 2017's Postcards in the Sky. He also has a number of acting gigs under his belt, from guest spots on iCarly and Hannah Montana to starring in the Filipino show Nandito Ako. Archuleta took a break from his music career to become a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chile for two years beginning in 2012. He opened up about coming out in an emotional Good Morning America interview in 2021.

Allen won season 8 of the hit show in 2009, and his single "Live Like We're Dying" from his self-titled album reached number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He has since released four other studio albums, and continued to tour, when not chasing his three young kids.

He may not have come out on top at the season 8 finale of Idol — he lost to Allen — but Lambert found success in the years following. He has released three albums, is a Grammy-nominated artist and currently serves as the lead singer of Queen. Not too shabby, eh?

"Getting right down to the final three, I knew that at this point I had so many opportunities that were going to open up for me," Lambert shared with Entertainment Weekly of what he was feeling when he learned he didn't win Idol, in a 2016 interview. "And at the same time I've watched the show and I've seen that people can win or not win and that can be it for them — the show can be sort of their high point forever. "

DeWyze won season 9 in 2010, and has released six albums in the years since. His song "Weight" was featured in the fourth season premiere of All-American on the CW, and he's currently performing in virtual concerts.

A then-17-year-old Scotty McCreery took home Idol's top prize in 2011, winning over the judges and viewers with his penchant for impressively belting out country songs. Following his win, McCreery released his debut studio album, Clear as Day, which became certified platinum. He has since released three more albums, with his most recent being 2018's Seasons Change. And while yes, he does credit his success to winning the music competition, McCreery hopes to continue making a name for himself.

"It was a big mountain to climb," McCreery, who scored his first no. 1 hit song with "Five More Minutes" in March, told The News & Observer. "But this gives more validity to what I've been doing. Credibility as an artist has been the goal the last few years – to move away from the TV guy who was on American Idol to be a country artist with songs and stories."

As for his personal life? He popped the question to longtime girlfriend Gabi Dugal in September 2017; they wed the following year.

Alaina made it to the season 10 finale before ultimately being defeated by Scotty McCreery. She's gone on to have a successful country music career with two studio albums under her belt. The singer took home new artist of the year at the 2012 American Country Awards. Five years later, she nabbed breakthrough video of the year for "Road Less Traveled" at the CMT Music Awards and breakthrough artist writer of the year at the Music Row awards.

Phillips was crowned the winner of season 11. He holds an additional accolade: His song, "Home," is the best-selling coronation song from the show. (The track was even featured in multiple women's gymnastics TV spots during the 2012 Olympics in London.)

In early 2015, the star filed a lawsuit against Idol's production company 19 Entertainment, claiming they "manipulated" him into accepting jobs and were being "oppressive" about his career. Then more than a year later, 19 Entertainment hit back with a complaint alleging Phillips was holding on to as much as $1 million of their money.

"It was really tough," Phillips — who wasn't allowed to release new music until he reached a settlement with 19 Entertainment in June 2017 — told PEOPLE exclusively. "I thought, 'Man, is this ever going to end? Will I ever be able to release new music?' [I was] a little depressed about it and also anxious trying to figure out what I can do to push things forward." In January 2018, he released his third studio album, Collateral.

He wed his longtime girlfriend in 2015.

 The soulful singer dazzled judges Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey on the twelfth season of Idol, and went on to win the competition in 2013. She dropped her debut album Music Speaks the following year, and has since released music on SoundCloud. According to Glover's Instagram page, she is currently pursuing her bachelor's degree in film and television.

Johnson won the thirteenth season of Idol in 2014 when he was just 23, and dropped the debut solo album Testify soon after. Then, he went on to tour with KISS, Black Stone Cherry and Trans Siberian Orchestra, according to his website.

Expanding his brand, the rocker founded the band Caleb Johnson and the Ramblin' Saints, with whom he released records in 2019 and 2021.

According to his site, Johnson's sole mission today "is to spread the gospel of rock-n-roll!"

After winning the fourteenth season of the singing competition in 2015, Fradiani dropped the album Hurricane the next year year, followed by the EP Where We Left Off in 2017. From 2019 through 2020, he starred in the North American tour of the Broadway musical A Bronx Tale.

The country singer took the top prize on Idol in 2016, and released a self-titled album later that year. Harmon dropped his first full-length album You've Got 'Em All in 2018, and opened on tour for Rascal Flatts.

The pop-folk singer was crowned the winner in 2018, dropping her debut studio album Whirlwind the following year and opening for Ingrid Michaelson on tour.

Opening up to PEOPLE about the exciting experience in 2019, Poppe said, "Getting the opportunity to sing 'You and I' with Ingrid Michaelson every night has been so cool. One of my very favorite moments of the night is looking out into the audience and seeing literally every mouth reciting the words to that song.

"I can't imagine what it must feel like watching a room full of people belt lyrics you wrote at the top of their lungs, and in that moment just knowing how many people you've impacted in that room."

Though she came in third behind Poppe during season 16, Barrett shot to stardom through the show and has since launched a successful country career.

Her debut single "I Hope" topped the Billboard Hot Country chart for a record-breaking 27 weeks, and she was the most-nominated female country artist at the 2021 American Music Awards. Her song "The Good Ones" was released in 2020 and also went platinum.

In 2021, she opened for Thomas Rhett on tour, and was honored with the Rising Star Award at the 2022 Billboard Women in Music Awards.

In March, Barrett will hit the stage alongside Jimmie Allen and Dolly Parton to co-host the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards.

Barrett is married to her fellow Idol contestant Cade Foehner, and their daughter Baylah May turned 1 last month.

The Louisiana-born singer won Idol in 2019, and dropped his debut album Here's to Anyone in 2021. He has since made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry, where he was joined onstage by fellow Idol alumna Alaina and mentor Bobby Bones.

"It just feels like a dream to have been given that opportunity," Hardy told PEOPLE of the milestone moment. "I know a lot of my influences growing up have stood on that wooden circle at the Opry, and to be able to stand in the same place, that's pretty cool. It was a dream of mine that I got to make true."

The sweet singer (whose birth name is Samantha Diaz) was historically crowned the Idol champ remotely in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and has since dropped the singles "Rise Up" and "Africando."

Diaz, who made a living singing in subway trains prior to Idol, told reporters after her win that the victory felt like a "whirlwind."

"First things first, I'm going home to my grandma and I'm going to hug her. That's the first thing I am going to do. I hope to be able to put out music. I am going to try to do what American Idol was trying to do in the beginning and that is bring family and friends together during this time when we need each other most. We shouldn't be alone," she said at the time.

"After this, I hope to be able to inspire more people and reach more people all across the country and across the world," Diaz continued. "That is my plan and my hope."

After taking the top prize in the most recent season of Idol, Beckham said he planned to move to Nashville and focus on making new music.

What will season 20 bring? Tune in to ABC on Sunday night, Feb. 27, to find out!