It’s hard to believe that American Idol has been on for 18 seasons now. It seems like just yesterday that Kelly Clarkson was the first winner of the show. Over the years, the competition has found some big names, like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and Jennifer Hudson, to name a few.
Some winners from the show went on to have successful careers, while others faded away. There are many runner-ups that went on to have better careers than winners, too. One notable runner-up from the show that we’ll always remember is Clay Aiken. Clay was the runner-up to Ruben Studdard on the second season of American Idol. He went on to have his own somewhat successful career, however, he eventually faded from the music scene.
So what exactly happened to American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken?
13 He Released A Total Of Six Albums
After Clay became the runner-up of the second season of Idol, he was still determined to have a successful music career. Over the years since his second-place finish, he has released a total of six studio albums including his debut, Measure of a Man, and a Christmas album titled Merry Christmas with Love. His last release was Steadfast in 2012.
12 His Best Release Was His Debut
Out of all six of his albums, his best release was his debut album, Measure of a Man. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and the first single, “This is the Night” also made a number one debut. The single even beat out that season’s winner, Ruben Studdard’s single, “Flying Without Wings.”
11 Released A Holiday Album And Did Holiday Specials
In 2004, Clay released a holiday album titled Merry Christmas With Love. He made it known that he loves the holiday, as he was also in the Disney television special, Christmas Day Parade. He then took his love for the holiday to another level when he had his own televised Christmas special, A Clay Aiken Christmas.
10 He Earned His Bachelor's Degree On Tour
Before Clay decided that he was going to try out for American Idol, he originally planned that he was going to attend William & Mary College. When the opportunity for Idol came up, he decided to follow those dreams first. Once Idol was over, he continued with his education and actually earned his bachelor’s degree in special education while he was on tour.
9 He Was On Broadway
In January of 2008, Clay had the opportunity of a lifetime, when he made his Broadway debut in Monty Python’s Spamalot. In the show he played Sir Robin for four months, proving that he had the voice and ability to be on Broadway. Unfortunately, that would be the first and only time that he would appear in a Broadway show.
8 He Did A Bit Of Acting
We all know Clay is a great singer, and thanks to his run on Broadway, he was able to show us that he’s a great actor, too. As a result, he’s had a few roles on a number of television shows over the years such as The Office, 30 Rock, as well as Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, to name a few.
7 He Appeared On The Celebrity Apprentice
In 2012, Clay proved that he was more than just a singer and an actor, as he appeared on a season of Donald Trump’s The Celebrity Apprentice. While appearing on the show, Clay excelled in many of the challenges and made it to the finale. Unfortunately, he came in second place yet again.
6 He Got Involved With Politics
After his appearance on The Celebrity Apprentice, Clay decided that he wanted to get involved in politics. He got into activism, and in 2014 he decided that he wanted to make a run for Congress in North Carolina’s Second District. Unfortunately for Clay, he lost to his Republican challenger.
5 He Co-Authored A Best Selling Book
In 2004, Clay co-wrote a book with Allison Glock called Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life. The book was an instant success, and actually made its debut at number two on The New York Times Best Seller List, proving that Clay could also be a successful writer, too.
4 He Came Out As Gay
After a lot of speculation about his private life over the years, Clay made a shocking announcement in 2008. The singer came out as gay by giving an exclusive interview to People magazine and appearing on the cover. Since coming out, he has openly worked with a number of organizations that support gay rights.
3 He Has A Son
When Clay made the shocking announcement that he was gay in 2008, he made an even bigger announcement that year. He also dropped the bomb that he was a father. He had a son named Parker Foster Aiken. Parker was born thanks to the help of his friend, Jaymes Foster.
2 He Worked With A Lot Of Charities
One thing about Clay is he’s an extremely charitable person that’s always wanting to give back. He’s involved with and works with a number of charities such as the National Inclusion Project, UNICEF, and has helped with many benefit events for People With Intellectual Disabilities. Clay’s always trying to give back somehow.
1 He Hasn't Made Music Since 2012
When Clay first came off of American Idol he definitely hit the ground running when he released his six albums. However, his last album, Steadfast was released in 2012. Since the release of that album, Clay hasn’t released any other music, or mentioned that he was working on any music. It’s unclear whether or not he’ll ever release music again, but fans can only hope.