‘I couldn’t afford to eat’: ‘American Idol’ winner Just Sam’s life will break your heart

Just Sam, the winner of American Idol season 18, has triumphantly returned to the stage that launched their career.

Just Sam’s victory on Idol was groundbreaking – they won the first-ever living-room edition of the show, thanks to the pandemic, but more than that, they became the first openly LGBTQ+ contestant to claim the title. Since their moment of glory came during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, this meant they never got to perform live on the Idol stage as a winner. Now their latest performance had the judges collectively in the awes.  Whitney Houston’s One Moment in Time never sounded so good, and Just Sam even joked about the upgrade from their iPhone performances. 

While being on American Idol might seem like a ticket to instant success, Just Sam’s journey has been anything but a fairytale.

The idol has been through a lot

Even after achieving the ultimate reality TV dream and securing a record deal with Hollywood Records, the road to fame and fortune hasn’t been straightforward and, in the years since their Idol triumph, Just Sam has faced one hurdle after another. The pandemic’s timing couldn’t have been worse for a budding artist looking to capitalize on their newfound fame. With live performances and touring put on hold, Just Sam struggled to maintain momentum in their career.

In 2021, Just Sam parted ways with Hollywood Record. Soon, the singer found themself in a bit of a financial pickle. And by “pickle,” I mean they were so broke they were back to singing at 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 reported to The Washington Post

Sam’s comments to The Washington Post are almost enough to make you wonder if the Idol title is more of a curse than a blessing. The real question is, where do they go from here?

Recently, Sam signed with a new management company, CrowdMGMT, and with the opportunity to return to the American Idol stage for a special performance, the future is looking a little brighter for this Idol alum. They already made history once, and there’s no reason to believe they can’t do it again.