Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Kate Hudson was born September 12, 1981 in Chicago, Illinois. A naturally outgoing and charismatic child, she sang in public for the first time at the age of 7 when she was given the opportunity to lead her congregation in a rousing gospel number. "I really enjoyed getting the church up on their feet, their hips swaying, their hands clapping, it's was a great feeling to evoke that energy for the Lord," she recalls. That initial performance hooked her, and Jennifer spent the rest of her childhood starring in school talent shows, local music productions and church socials.

Jennifer turned her passion into her profession in 2002, when she landed a six-month gig as a featured vocalist aboard the Disney Wonder cruise ship. Although she was grateful for the work, Jennifer admits the experience was sometimes unnerving, particularly given her complete inability to swim. "Once you get on the ship, you have to do [emergency] drills with the officers," she recalls. "We had to do a 'wet' drill and I'm thinking it's going to be a little sprinkle. Honey, they took us out and hung us over the side of the ship in one of those little boats just in midair and then they made us get out at Castaway Key and hop off of a two-story cliff into the water."