Season 18 American Idol champ Samantha Diaz, aka Just Sam, will make her first appearance on Idol’s big stage Sunday night as a guest performer.
Her first appearance?
That’s right. Because, remember, Sam won Idol in the year of the pandemic.
With everything on lockdown, contestants performed from remote locations for the four voting shows that made up Season 18.
And while Idol has produced plenty of music success stories over the years, Samantha Diaz isn’t one of them.
Auditioning for Idol at age 20, she grew up in poverty, lived in the projects in Harlem and was busking in the New York subway to pay her rent.
Post-Idol, she had to return to busking to pay her rent.
She said she spent much of her Idol winnings retaining rights to her music after she and her record company parted ways.
Four years after her victory she has five original songs on streaming sites under the name Samantha Diaz.
“Africando,” her first post-Idol single, released independently, has the most streams on Spotify with just over 27,000.
A cover of Andra Day’s “Rise Up” — Just Sam’s signature song on Idol — has also reappeared under the name Samantha Diaz.
Samantha, now 25, addressed her post-Idol journey in a long Instagram post earlier this week.
“I was so sure that I knew what was in store for me after my journey with idol … I was wrong about it all. I never expected to be faced with the same struggles that I had before the show, after.”
Beside a video of her making the Top 24, she writes: “It’s been 4 years since this moment and I have not done as much as I wanted in my career.
“I haven’t been on as many stages as I expected to be and still I know that there’s so much more to come.”
She’s ends the lengthy post on a hopeful note.
“I don’t know what I’m trying to say or the point of this post but .. I guess this just isn’t the end of me.
“There are people in this world who NEED TO HEAR ME … my voice, my story, my testimony … they need to because it will encourage them. In so many ways … It will inspire them. People are waiting to hear me and my story . I have so much to share with y’all.”
Follow the link to read her complete message.
Related Posts
-
January 29, 2025 -
January 29, 2025 Will Moseley to drop acoustic single on Friday
-
January 29, 2025 Kayko, Idol Season 22 standout, releases 1st single of 2025
Leave a reply Cancel
The Voice Season 27 Profiles
The Voice Season 27 Profiles
Darius J.
Dennis Lorenzo
Dimitrius Graham
Ethan Eckenroad
Fran
Hailey Wright
Iris Herrera
Jacquelyn George
Jaelen Johnston
Jay Ammo
Jayden Cree (Olesen)
Jessica Manalo
Lucia Flores-Wiseman
Naomi Soleil
Nell Simmons
Olivia Kuper Harris
Page Mackenzie
Ricardo Moreno
Robert Hunter
Simone Marijic
Tatum Scott
Tori Templet
Trevon Dawson
Featured Music
'Treasure' indeed
Laci Kaye Booth, Top 5 on American Idol Season 17, dropped her debut album Aug. 6. Her debut single, the ridiculously addictive "Treasure," heads to country radio in mid-September.
American Idol Season 19 Profiles
Archives
-
Conor James, Jacquelyn George, BDII sparkle on The Voice
February 18, 2025 By Mark Franklin -
A look at where the teams stand on The Voice
February 17, 2025 By Mark Franklin -
Meet Tinika Wyatt of The Voice Season 27
February 14, 2025 By Mark Franklin -
Meet Barry Jean Fontenot of The Voice Season 27
February 13, 2025 By Mark Franklin -
Meet Divighn of The Voice Season 27
February 13, 2025 By Mark Franklin
-
Song by song grades for the Top 8 on American Idol
April 29, 2024 By Mark Franklin -
Iam Tongi scores an Apple Music hit for American Idol
May 19, 2023 By Mark Franklin -
Song by song grades for the Top 12 on The Voice
December 4, 2023 By Mark Franklin -
Song by song grades for the Top 14 on American Idol
April 21, 2024 By Mark Franklin -
Song by song grades for American Idol’s Top 24, Group 2
April 8, 2024 By Mark Franklin
-
-
We haven’t heard the last from David Archuleta
February 21, 2011 By Mark Franklin -
Meet American Idol contestant Hollie Cavanagh
January 30, 2012 By Mark Franklin -
Meet American Idol contestant Jessica Sanchez
February 5, 2012 By Mark Franklin -
Meet American Idol contestant Phillip Phillips
January 19, 2012 By Mark Franklin
Post-Voice Music
Recent Voice Views Interviews
-
Conor James, Jacquelyn George, BDII sparkle on The Voice
February 18, 2025 By Mark Franklin -
A look at where the teams stand on The Voice
February 17, 2025 By Mark Franklin -
Meet Tinika Wyatt of The Voice Season 27
February 14, 2025 By Mark Franklin
-
Song by song grades for the Top 8 on American Idol
April 29, 2024 By Mark Franklin -
Iam Tongi scores an Apple Music hit for American Idol
May 19, 2023 By Mark Franklin -
Song by song grades for the Top 12 on The Voice
December 4, 2023 By Mark Franklin
-
-
We haven’t heard the last from David Archuleta
February 21, 2011 By Mark Franklin -
Meet American Idol contestant Hollie Cavanagh
January 30, 2012 By Mark Franklin
Post-American Idol Music
Featured Music
'Treasure' indeed
Laci Kaye Booth, Top 5 on American Idol Season 17, dropped her debut album Aug. 6. Her debut single, the ridiculously addictive "Treasure," heads to country radio in mid-September.
1 Comment
Good for Just Sam/Samantha Diaz.
Both “Idol” and her record company threw her under the bus.
Why has it taken so long for Ms. Diaz to return?
Arthur Gunn was allowed to compete again the following season.
He placed 7th, taking the spot of a deserving new finalist/semifinalist.
Lauren Spencer-Smith returned to perform on “Idol” this season even though her success had virtually nothing to with “Idol.”
In Season 18, she had minimal exposure before her sole semifinal performance.