American Idol stars Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken to perform in NorCal

(FOX40.COM) — American Idol stars Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken are reuniting at the Harris Center for the Arts 20 years after being on the singing competition show.

Studdard and Aiken captivated audiences during their historic run on the second season of FOX’s “American Idol” in 2003. Both were plucked from the relative obscurity of their hometowns in the South and became audience favorites.

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The two were instrumental in helping propel “American Idol” to the top of the Nielsen ratings, nearly tripling the viewership of the previous season, and securing its place as one of the most consequential TV series in American history, according to multiple reports.

Over 38 million viewers tuned in to hear the results of more than 124 million votes cast during their finale making it the most watched “American Idol” episode in history and the highest rated regularly scheduled, live, non-sporting television episode of the 21st century.

Studdard and Aiken combined have recorded twelve albums, sold more than eight million albums worldwide, toured the country 14 times, starred together on Broadway, won four Billboard Music Awards, an American Music Award, and have been nominated for two Grammys.

Ruben Studdard rose to fame as winner of the second season of American Idol and received a Grammy Award nomination in December 2003 for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for “Superstar”. In the years following “American Idol,” Studdard released six studio albums, including his platinum-selling debut, “Soulful,” and the top-selling gospel follow-up, “I Need an Angel.” He is most well-known for his recording career, which has produced hits including “Flying Without Wings,” “Sorry 2004,” and “Change Me.”

Clay Aiken was the runner-up against Studdard in “American Idol” and most recently starred on Broadway in “Ruben & Clay’s First Annual Christmas Carol Family Fun Pageant Spectacular Reunion Show” at the Imperial Theater. The New York Times called the production “A Christmas Miracle.” This came ten years after Aiken’s critically lauded Broadway debut in Monty Python’s “Spamalot.”

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Catapulting to fame on season two of “American Idol,” he reportedly became the first “idol” alumni in history to have his first single debut at number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, to have a single certified platinum, and to have an album certified triple platinum.

The duo is scheduled to perform at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 10 at Harris Center for the Arts, 10 College Parkway, Folsom. For more information or to purchase tickets call (916) 608-6888 or visit www.harriscenter.net.

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