Just Sam, the victor of American Idol season 18, has made a triumphant return to the very stage that catapulted them into stardom.
Their win on Idol was groundbreaking in more ways than one. Not only did they emerge victorious in the show’s first-ever living-room edition, necessitated by the pandemic, but they also shattered barriers by becoming the first openly LGBTQ+ contestant to seize the coveted title. However, due to the timing of their victory amid the COVID-19 crisis, Just Sam never had the opportunity to showcase their talents live on the Idol stage as a champion. Now, with their latest performance, they left the judges in collective awe. Whitney Houston’s “One Moment in Time” never sounded more sublime, prompting Just Sam to jest about the upgrade from their previous iPhone performances.
While appearing on American Idol might appear to be a fast track to instant success, Just Sam’s journey has been anything but a fairytale.
Despite achieving the pinnacle of reality TV success and securing a record deal with Hollywood Records, the path to fame and fortune has been riddled with obstacles for Just Sam. In the years following their Idol triumph, they encountered one hurdle after another. The timing of the pandemic couldn’t have been worse for an aspiring artist seeking to capitalize on their newfound fame. With live performances and tours indefinitely postponed, Just Sam struggled to sustain momentum in their career.
In 2021, Just Sam parted ways with Hollywood Records, finding themselves in a dire financial situation. To put it bluntly, they were so financially strained that they resorted to busking in the New York City subway for spare change.
“If I ever went back to the trains, I didn’t expect it to be something that I had to do. I felt like it would be something that I did for fun, you know, relive an old moment or memory, you know? But I literally could not afford to pay my rent. I couldn’t afford to eat,” Sam shared with The Washington Post.
Such candid remarks from Sam to The Washington Post might lead one to ponder if the Idol title is more of a curse than a blessing. The real question remains: what lies ahead for them?
Recently, Sam inked a deal with a new management company, CrowdMGMT. With the opportunity to grace the American Idol stage once again for a special performance, the horizon is looking a tad brighter for this Idol alum. They’ve already etched their name in the annals of history once, and there’s every reason to believe they can do it again.