Clay Aiken on holiday delusion, Shawn Mendes & being closeted on ‘Idol’: “America knew before me!”
American Idol. The competition was already a phenomenon by the time the world met a sweet Southern guy named Clay in season two.
He may not have looked like a traditional pop star—at least, according to Simon Cowell—but had charm and a stunning voice that made him a major fan favorite.From the moment he walked through those audition doors, the public began to speculate over his sexuality.
The singer still remembers headlines and TV broadcasts openly wondering, “Is Clay gay?”, and he certainly didn’t have an answer for them because he was still figuring that out for himself!Subscribe to our newsletter for your front-row seat to all things entertainment with a sprinkle of everything else queer.Despite the rumors, Aiken crooned his way to the nail-biting finale, where he ultimately lost to Ruben Studdard by a shockingly small margin of votes.
It was a momentary defeat, but certainly not the end of the road. Mere months after the season ended, he shared his debut album, Measure Of A Man, which topped the Billboard charts.
