Jennifer Hudson was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois.
She is a Baptist and deeply religious. Like many Christian singers, she got her start singing in her church choir.[1] The love of gospel stayed with her, and in 2002 she entered the "Gospel Star Search" at a church in Chicago. In a video for the contest, she confessed her deep commitment to God:
I sing because God told me to. I have been blessed to be the chosen one to share the spiritual gift of song. . . . I am so grateful to Him for His love, His faith, and His blessings. And I want you to know God is a true friend, and I tried Him, and I know Him. And you should get to know Him too![2]
That the Lord will forgive
God can be sure that she's an enthusiastic follower, and not just when times are good. Hudson's ex-brother-in-law William Balfour murdered her mother, brother, and nephew in 2008 and was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences.[3] Hudson and her sister, the killer's ex-wife, issued a statement of unimaginable compassion after the sentencing:
We have many people to thank but our first thank you is to God, always. . . . It is our prayer that the Lord will forgive Mr. Balfour of these heinous acts and bring his heart into repentance someday.[4]
That's not just a Christian thing to say, it is truly Christ-like.
Friend of the family
Hudson isn't just an Obama supporter, she's a friend of the family.[5] She sang "Happy Birthday" to the president on his 50th birthday,[6] was invited by Obama to sing the national anthem at the 2008 Democratic National Convention,[7] and has participated in several fundraisers on his behalf.[8] So we can be pretty sure she's a solid Democrat.
About controversial issues like gay marriage, immigration, and climate change however, Hudson has remained silent. It's likely that her entry into politics was due more to Obama than to any serious interest in the political debate. For now she's just focusing on God, music, and movies–and a fundraiser here and there.
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