8 Winners of the American Idol: Where Are They Now?

Throughout the 15 incredible seasons of “American Idol,” we saw a plethora of laughably bad contestants, a lot of mediocre ones, and of course, the real “idols.” Fifteen people went home as winners, basking in love and fame, but what happened to them next?

Here’s what some of the American Idols have been up to lately!

1. Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson must be one of the most accomplished singers in the world and becoming an Idol back in 2002 definitely helped her become famous. Not only did Kelly released a banger album, “Thankful,” she also starred in a comedy — “From Justin to Kelly.” Years later, the singer won two Grammy awards and then some. These days Clarkson hosts a talk-show called “The Kelly Clarkson Show.”

2. Fantasia Barrino

Can you imagine winning the “American Idol” at 19? That’s like winning the lottery but, you know, using your amazing voice. That’s exactly what happened to Fantasia Barrino. Now she has numerous albums in her library and made quite a few appearances on TV shows like “American Dreams” and “The Simpsons.” In 2010, the singer started her own reality TV show “Fantasia for Real” on VH1, but it was a total bust. After struggling for two seasons, the show was canceled, and Fantasia focused on making music again.

3. Carrie Underwood

After an amazing finale of the 2005 “Idol,” Carrie started climbing the global music charts until she reached the tippy-top in 2014-2015. That’s when our star became the top-earning “Idol.” Throughout her career, Carrie won 7 Grammy Awards and several less prestigious accolades. And then the infamous accident happened. Even though she broke her wrist and scarred her face in that freak tumble, Underwood did not give up and is still performing in the US.