Whatever Happened To Jordin Sparks?
Jordin Sparks has carved out a multifaceted career that spans several realms of performance. Her breakthrough moment came in 2007 when she was named the Season 6 winner of "American Idol" at the age of 17, becoming the youngest Idol in the show's history. While some "American Idol" winners didn't get the success they expected, Sparks was almost universally well-received. She released her self-titled debut album in November of that same year, featuring chart-topping singles such as "Tattoo" and the poignant duet with Chris Brown, "No Air." Sparks unveiled her sophomore record, "Battlefield," in 2009, also releasing the lead single of the same name.
During Sparks' stunning transformation, which occurred right before our eyes considering she entered the world of showbusiness as a teenager, she also ventured into acting. Sparks made her feature film debut in 2012 with "Sparkle," taking on the titular role in the musical drama. This marked the beginning of her exploration of the entertainment industry beyond music. Sparks further showcased her versatility as a performer by making her Broadway debut in the musical "In the Heights" in 2010. However, after her third studio album, "Right Here Right Now," came out in 2015, Sparks took a break from her music career, which allowed her to focus on her personal life.
Sparks took a five-year break from music
Jordin Sparks' "Right Here Right Now" didn't receive the same positive response as her first two albums. The project peaked at No. 161 on the Billboard 200, a far cry from its predecessors. This may have contributed to Sparks' hiatus. As the "American Idol" winner alluded, in a 2023 chat with Hollywood Life, she was also overwhelmed with her workload, which affected her love of music.
As Sparks explained, "The break was something that really helped me reconnect with it," adding, "You get really, really busy, and then it was like, okay, this is really great, a lot of work which is fine, I'm so happy that I'm able to do something I can use my passion that can also be my career, which I'm grateful for, but sometimes that kind of takes the fun out of it [...] the magic out of there."
Additionally, Sparks endured a public breakup with singer Jason Derulo in 2014. Derulo claimed that he felt pressured to marry Sparks, while their hectic schedules also contributed to the split. However, during a 2015 "Breakfast Club" interview (via MTV), Sparks refuted his version of events. Luckily for fans, she returned to music in 2020 with the holiday album, "Cider & Hennessy."
She secretly married Dana Isaiah
After her split from Jason Derulo, Jordin Sparks entered another famous relationship with Sage the Gemini. The couple began dating in April 2015 but, by February 2016, they'd called it quits. In 2017, Sparks met fitness instructor Dana Isaiah, and the two married secretly in July of that year during an intimate Hawaii vacation with only their close friends present. The singer did not reveal the nuptials had taken place until November 2017, when they simultaneously announced they were expecting their first child. As the "American Idol" winner informed People, her friend Morgan, who'd coincidentally gotten ordained before the trip, officiated their beach wedding.
In a 2018 chat with Billboard, Sparks shared that her life as a mom and wife would be the driving force behind her creative output going forward. "I am in a really happy-go-lucky place, so I really want my new music to reflect that," she noted. Sparks got the opportunity to show off her post-birth dance moves during her 2022 stint on "Dancing With The Stars." After her elimination, she followed up with that positive music she was referring to, with October 2023's love ballad "Call My Name" and her second holiday EP, released in November 2023, entitled "The Gift of Christmas." Sparks may not be solely focused on music these days but her talent still resonates with her fans.