Ruben Studdard Ruben Christopher Studdard ( born September 12 , 1978 ) , best known as Ruben Studdard , is an American R & B , pop , and gospel singer . He rose to fame as winner of the second season of " American Idol " . He received a Grammy Award nomination in December 2003 for Best Male R & B Vocal Performance for " Superstar . " In the years following " Idol " , Studdard has released five studio albums . In addition to appearing on various television shows he has toured with Robin Givens in the comedy - drama " Heaven I Need a Hug " and in 2008 accepted the role of Fats Waller in a national tour of " Ain ' t Misbehavin ' " . Studdard announced on July 1 , 2013 that he will be competing on season 15 of " The Biggest Loser " . Early life . Studdard , who was born in Frankfurt , Germany while his American father was stationed there with the U . S . Army , grew up in Birmingham , Alabama . The youngest son of two teachers , at the age of three he sang for the first time at the Rising Star Baptist Church in his hometown of Birmingham . He continued singing gospel in church , performing solos as a child while his mother sang in the local choir . While at Huffman High School , he played football for which he received a scholarship to Alabama A & M University . While at Alabama A & M he joined the Omicron Delta chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia , the men ' s music fraternity of America . After growing up listening to his mother ' s Donny Hathaway albums , Fred Hammond , and gospel music , Studdard began to pursue a career in the music industry , majoring in voice studies at Alabama A & M . He sang with " Just a Few Cats " , a popular local Birmingham jazz and R & B band founded by members of Ray Reach ' s UAB Jazz Ensemble , along with other local musicians . " A lot of people don ' t realize how hard I was trying to get into the business before " American Idol " , " Studdard related several years later . " I was making demos and just working so hard . " A back - up singer from Just a Few Cats asked him to accompany her to Nashville , Tennessee for an audition on the 2003 second season of " American Idol " . " American Idol " . When auditioning , Studdard sang Stevie Wonder ' s " Ribbon in the Sky . " This guided him to being one of the local finalists . On " American Idol " , he impressed viewers with his performances of the Leon Russell / Bonnie Bramlett song " Superstar " ( best known as a hit for The Carpenters ) and the Peabo Bryson / Regina Belle duet " A Whole New World " ; during his time on the show , Studdard received praise from music legends such as Lionel Richie , Neil Sedaka , Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees , Luther Vandross , and Gladys Knight . During the televised competition , Studdard gained the nickname " Velvet Teddy Bear " and was noted for his shirts printed with " 205 " , the telephone area code of his hometown of Birmingham . Studdard also did a cover version of " For All We Know " , originally recorded by Donny Hathaway , whose music he grew up with . He won the contest over runner - up Clay Aiken by only 134 , 000 votes out of 24 , 000 , 000 cast in the May 2003 finale , becoming the second " American Idol " winner . Alabama Governor Bob Riley declared March 11 , 2003 as " Ruben Studdard Day " . Career . 2003 – 2004 : " Soulful " . Studdard released his first single , a cover of Westlife ' s " Flying Without Wings " ( which he had sung on the show ' s finale ) , produced by The Underdogs and Babyface , a month later in June 2003 . Fueled largely by sales , it debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 . In December 2003 , advance orders for his album " Soulful " topped the one million mark before it was released into stores . The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart that month , selling over 400 , 000 copies in its first week and attaining the second highest first - week sales of any " American Idol " winner . The single " Sorry 2004 " from this album found substantial airplay , reaching number nine in the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Billboard R & B singles chart . Studdard received a Grammy Award nomination in December 2003 for Best Male R & B Vocal Performance for " Superstar " , nominated with his idol Luther Vandross ( Vandross won that category ) . In March 2004 , Ruben won the NAACP Outstanding New Artist award . 2004 - 2005 : " I Need An Angel " . Studdard released the gospel album " I Need an Angel " on November 23 , 2004 . The title track and first single " I Need an Angel " was a cover of a 2002 single performed by R & B singer Daniel DeBourg and written by R . Kelly . The album sold over 96 , 000 copies in its first week , it also entered the Gospel charts at number one , opened at number twenty on the Billboard 200 chart , it since has sold over 500 , 000 copies . It was also number one on the 2005 Billboard Year - End Gospel Albums Chart . As of June 2007 , Studdard is the fifth - best selling " American Idol " performer with more than 2 . 4 million albums sold in the U . S . In March 2005 , Studdard filed a lawsuit against his godfather and business advisor Ronald Edwards . The suit alleges that Edwards ran up $ 156 , 000 on Studdard ' s credit cards and stole $ 90 , 000 from his checking account . Edwards filed a countersuit . On June 15 , 2006 , Studdard was awarded $ 500 , 000 for personal losses and another $ 1 . 5 million in punitive damages . Between his second and third albums , Studdard began a diet and fitness program to deal with his weight , out of concern for a family history of diabetes and hypertension resulting in his losing over 70 pounds on a vegetarian diet . 2006 – 2008 : " The Return " . Studdard ' s third album , " The Return " was released in October 2006 ; it goes back to his R & B roots , but is different from his previous efforts . Studdard collaborated with the artist Ne - Yo on this album , along with a variety of producers . The single " Change Me " was released ahead of the album . " The Return " sold 71 , 000 copies in its first week to open at number eight on the Billboard 200 album chart , but sales declined rapidly after that , not approaching those of his earlier albums . However , Studdard did have good success on the Urban Contemporary chart with " Change Me " ( which reached number one ) and its successor " Make Ya Feel Beautiful " . Studdard continued to tour saying he would play a variety of music : " Coming out to my show is like coming to my house . I ' ll play the songs I love . It ' s like a party . For me , a party has all different types of music happening . " Studdard appeared on the finale of " American Idol " season 6 in May 2007 . He spent a few weeks touring with Robin Givens in the comedy - drama " Heaven I Need a Hug " and prepared to take on the role of Fats Waller in a national tour of " Ain ' t Misbehavin ' " in 2008 . The tour is scheduled to begin November 17 , 2008 in Atlanta , GA and end May 14 , 2009 in Syracuse , NY . In December 2007 , Studdard had been dropped from his record company , J Records , due to poor sales of " The Return " and " [ falling ] short of expectations . " He remained under contract with 19 Recordings , however . As such he was assigned the high - profile position of performing the " American Idol " season 7 farewell song , a recording of Kenny Loggins ' " Celebrate Me Home " , in a new version produced by Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam . Studdard performed " Celebrate Me Home " live on May 20 , 2008 , at the Nokia Theatre for the first night of the two - night Grand Finale of American Idol ' s seventh season . 2009 – 2010 : " Love Is " . Studdard was featured in the music video for gospel singer Deitrick Haddon ' s " Love Him Like I Do " along with Gospel duo Mary Mary . Studdard announced that his next album , to be released May 19 , 2009 , would be released on Sony Music offshoot Hickory Records . The new album , entitled " Love Is " , is being produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis . The first single off " Love Is " is the ballad " Together " , which was written by Mikkel S . Eriksen , Tor Erik Hermansen , Phillip Taj Jackson and Martin Kleveland , produced by StarGate & Martin K . He performed his new single " Together " on American Idol season 8 on March 26 , 2009 . " Love Is " was released on May 19 , 2009 to mostly positive reviews . The album , which features a mix of covers and original songs , sold 15 , 200 units in its first week to debut at number 36 on the Billboard 200 , number five on Independent Albums and number eight on Top R & B / Hip - Hop Albums . Studdard appeared with the " David Foster and Friends " 10 city tour beginning October 21 , 2009 in Chicago , Illinois and ending November 8 , 2009 in Vancouver , Canada . A fifth album , " " was released on January 26 , 2010 by Sony ' s Legacy Recordings . Studdard returned to the American Idol stage on March 31 , 2010 to perform his latest single " Don ' t Make ' Em Like U No More " . In his on camera interview with Ryan Seacrest after his performance he said that he would be touring with Clay Aiken in the summer . Studdard and Aiken brought their “ Timeless ” tour to cities in the US and Canada beginning in Asheville , North Carolina on July 23 , 2010 and ending in Biloxi , Mississippi on August 14 . Instead of a concert focusing on each singers recordings , Studdard and Aiken opted for a variety show format covering medleys of songs from the 60s to the 90s with a few solos and interspersed with comedy bits . 2010 – present : " Letters from Birmingham " . It was announced in July 2011 that Studdard had signed with Shanachie Entertainment and would release his next album in early 2012 . His first album for the label and fifth release overall , " Letters from Birmingham " , was released in March 2012 . Studdard will participate in the 15th season of NBC ’ s " The Biggest Loser " as a contestant . Acting . Studdard has worked as an actor in several roles , including single - episode appearances on the television series " 8 Simple Rules " , " Life on a Stick " , " All of Us " , and " Eve " , as well as a cameo appearance in the film " " . He has also appeared on a television commercial for a Birmingham - area Kia dealer . He appeared in an episode of " One on One " as himself & in an episode of " All of Us " as an older Bobby . He also appeared in the " 8 Simple Rules " episode where CJ ' s dad comes ; he played a delivery boy whom CJ mistakes for his father . He greets him by hugging him and saying , " You have always been my idol , " referring to his win on " Idol " . Studdard also appeared on an episode of " Eve " as Paul , Janie ' s younger brother who has a huge crush on Shelly . Studdard headlined the revival tour of " Ain ' t Misbehavin ' " , starring alongside fellow " American Idol ( season 2 ) " alums , Trenyce and Frenchie Davis . Starring as Fats Waller , Studdard received positive reviews and was part of the cast recording album released by Rhino Records on January 13 , 2009 . Advocacy . Studdard ' s love of music led him to create " The Ruben Studdard Foundation for the Advancement of Children in the Music Arts " . The foundation ' s mission statement says their aim is " to promote the essential role of the arts in education through learning initiatives for the development of students in the Greater Birmingham Area . " Studdard has signed on as an official spokesperson for ‘ Be Sickle Smart ’ , a nationwide grassroots health - education program aimed at increasing awareness of iron overload among people living with sickle - cell disease . Personal life . Studdard met Surata Zuri McCants in October 2006 , when he was signing CDs at a Wal - Mart in Atlanta . On June 28 , 2008 , Studdard married McCants in a short , private ceremony in Mountain Brook , Alabama . On November 16 , 2011 , Studdard ' s attorney announced that Studdard was in the process of a divorce . " Ruben Studdard and Zuri McCants Studdard have separated , and they are in the process of seeking a dissolution of their marriage , " said Byron Perkins . Studdard ' s divorce was finalized in April 2012 .