Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken both became beloved by fans across the United States as they competed on season two of ‘American Idol’ in 2003. As contestants on the show, both of them advanced to the final round, competing against each other to be named the next ‘Idol.’ While they were facing off against one-another, they were also very good friends. Even though Ruben won and Clay was the runner-up, they’ve continued to perform side-by-side for nearly two decades.
Since ‘American Idol,’ both have performed on their own and toured. They’ve also had solo ventures, like when Clay ran for Congress in his home state of North Carolina, but they’ve reunited on plenty of occasions. They’ve had concerts together and even had a holiday-themed Broadway show that they co-starred in. During 2023, the duo will hit the road for a tour to commemorate their 20th anniversary of friendship, and are also expected to appear on ‘American Idol.’
Scroll through our gallery to see photos of the ‘Idol’ alums.
