What Has Jordin Sparks Been Up To Since Winning 'American Idol'?
Jordin Sparks made history when she won season six of American Idol at 17, being that she was and currently holds the title for the youngest female winner. Sparks' self-titled debut album went platinum. Songs such as "No Air" featuring Chris Brown and "Tattoo" reached the top of the Billboard Charts. Sparks didn't have beginner's luck, and the novelty didn't wear off because her second album "Battlefield" performed well commercially. Sparks made history again by being the only American Idol contestant whose first five tracks hit the Billboard top 20.
First, people saw Sparks everywhere and then nowhere. She had a flame that didn't seem as if it was were going to burn out, and then she slowly but steadily started disappearing from the spotlight. Let's look at Sparks' career trajectory and see what she's been up to since winning American Idol, besides making hit records, of course.
10 She Released Three Perfumes
Sparks's perfumes are no longer in stores, but she, like many other stars, dabbled into trying to create a brand for herself outside of music. In 2010, she launched the perfume "Because Of You," dedicated to her fans, allowing her to be a big star, and in 2012, the name of her perfumes were "Fascinate" and "Ambition." Her fragrances received generally positive reviews. Her inspiration was her mom and grandmother wearing tons of scents.
9 Sparks Became A Philanthropist
Some stars have depth and care about what's going on in the world around them. Sparks joins the list of celebrities who believe in humanitarianism. In 2009, she was a part of the VH1 Divas special, a concert that promoted the network's Save The Music Foundation. In 2010, Sparks contributed her vocals to the charity single "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" and many other musicians to support the 2010 Haiti Earthquake victims. As of March 2021, it also appears as if Sparks is a mental health advocate as an endorser of Genomind, a mental health service that offers a Mental Health Map, which helps people understand how genetics play a role in mental health.
8 Sparks Has Been On Broadway
The "One Step at a Time" singer made her Broadway debut in the musical In The Heights, with lyrics and music from Lin-Manuel Miranda based on the book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. The musical follows the lives of characters living in a predominantly Dominican neighborhood in the Washington Heights area of New York City. Sparks played Rosario, a first-generation college student who drops out because she feels overwhelmed and dating someone her parents refuse to accept. The musical won four Tony awards, and the film adaptation comes out on June 11th, 2021. Sparks has also been in Broadway's Waitress.
7 She Made Her Acting Debut On Television
In 2009, Sparks made her first-ever appearance on a scripted television series, Disney's The Suite Life On Deck, a spinoff of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. The episode was appropriately titled Crossin Jordin. When Zack and Cody, played by Dylan and Cole Sprouse, hear that Sparks will board the S.S. Tipton to perform, Zack and Cody want to write a song for her, but Zack instead reaches out to his friend Marcus versus Cody.
Once the piece is complete, the three try to play it outside her window, but Mr. Moseby, played by Phil Lewis, chases them away, thinking that they are bothering Sparks. In true harebrained Zack and Cody fashion, the three watch Sparks perform, but as a disguised Mariachi band, and to their pleasant surprises, Sparks does end up singing their song.
6 Sparks Also Guest Starred On 'Big Time Rush'
Yet again, Sparks played herself in Nickelodeon's hit comedy series Big Time Rush in 2010. The show chronicles a group of teenage boys staying at The Palm Woods apartment complexes in L.A., who has the unexpected and incredible opportunity to become a superstar singing group. Sparks' goal in the special Big Time Sparks was to record a track at Rocque Records with the boys. However, she clumsily trips on Kendall Knight, played by Kendall Schmidt, and Jo, Knight's girlfriend, played by Katelyn Tarver, assumes he is cheating on her. A fun fact is that BTR was a band on the show and in real life, but the group split.
5 She Was In 'Sparkle'
Sparks' role as Sparkle Anderson in the remake of the 1976 film Sparkle was iconic. Like Brandy, many stars dreamed of meeting Whitney Houston, let alone acting in a movie with her. Houston played Emma Anderson, the strict and devoutly religious mother of Sparkle Anderson and her two sisters. The story takes place in 1968 in Detroit, Michigan, where the three sisters form a singing group and discover fast that life in the entertainment business is not all that it's cracked up to be. The story deals with drugs, romantic heartache, sister dynamics, and the beauty of gaining a new lease on life.
The film received mixed reviews, with Rotten Tomato critics giving the film a score of 56%. However, this film holds weight because it was Houston's last film role before her tragic death. Sparks shared to ABC News that she felt as if the movie was her gift to Houston, and that's what she wanted people to remember her for versus the negative aspects of Houston's life.
4 She Dated Jason Derulo
Jason Derulo and Sparks being together made sense in a few ways. Both are attractive entertainers who are Earth signs, with Sparks being a Capricorn and Derulo being a Virgo. It seemed as if the stars aligned when they dated. Ironically, Derulo wrote a song for Sparks titled "Marry me." However, Jason Derulo revealed to Us Magazine that their split wasn't amicable and that he felt too pressured to marry her. Rumors spread that the "Wiggle" singer cheated on Sparks, but he has always denied it. After Derulo and Sparks dated for three years, they split in 2014.
3 Sparks Said, "I Do."
Sparks's dreams of becoming a wife came true, but of course, not with Derulo. On July 17th, 2017, Sparks married Dana Isaiah, a fitness model. Their wedding took place in Hawaii. Not too long after the honeymoon, Sparks announced an unexpected pregnancy, and the two lovebirds welcomed their son, a Jr. who was born on May 2nd, 2018. Besides being a model, Isaiah is an author and basketball coach. The two lovebirds love fitness and share a common faith. Oh, and Isaiah is three years younger than Sparks, but it seems as if that's a non-factor.
2 She Appeared On Fox's 'I Can See Your Voice'
On Fox's game show I Can See Your Voice, hosted by Sparks performed her hit song "No Air" with a secret singer. The game show's premise is that there are six secret singers, some being able to sing well and others being able to sing badly. Based on various clues displayed throughout the show and how skilled the performers are at lip-synching, a contestant has to eliminate the bad singers hoping that a "good" singer performs at the end of the show with a guest star. Celebrity judges attempt to give each contestant guidance so that they can win $100,000.
1 She Put Out New Music
In 2014, Sparks put out a mixtape titled "#ByeFelicia." In 2015, she put out her third studio album titled "Right Here Right Now," and while receiving positive reviews, it received smaller commercial success than her first two albums. In 2020, Sparks but out the song "Sangria Wine," but people didn't receive it well. One YouTube comment mentioned that the visuals, song, clothes, and choreography giving "Shake It Up" vibes referring to a Disney Channel sitcom that starred Zendaya and Bella Thorne. Another person commented that they didn't know that a song about alcohol could be so kid-friendly. The video only has 226,135 views on YouTube.
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