Biography Jennifer Hudson was born and raised in Chicago, IL and has been singing since the age of 7. She is 22 years old and although she has never had formal singing training, Jennifer has been working on a cruise line as a singer and actress. Jennifer's favorite artists include Beyonce, Celine Dion, and Ruben Studdard. Jennifer believes that an American Idol is someone "who is an extremely talented, well-grounded individual with…every bit of star quality."