What happened to Just Sam on American Idol? Know all about the singer

American Idol season 19's finale is getting closer. Last week, two contestants, Grace Kinstler and Hunter Metts were eliminated from the competition giving America their American Idol 2021 Top 5 finalists. As the finale gets closer, fans reminisce on the competition held in the past year. Despite the lockdown, the show had continued filming from the contestants and the judges' homes. In American Idol season 18, Samantha Diaz, better known as Just Sam, won the contest. Now, fans of the show are wondering, "What happened to Just Sam on American Idol?"

What happened to Just Sam on American Idol?

Just Sam had performed Rise Up by Andra Day as her final performance on American Idol. The singer received the most votes from the audience crowning her as the first at-home winner of American Idol. Since winning the competition, she has had many milestones in her life. In an interview with New York Post in May 2020, she came out as gay. She said that she did not want to put a label on her sexual orientation and that she labelled herself as God's child, first. She added that she did not like men, at all. 

After her interview, she discussed being the first LGBTQ winner of the competition in an Instagram post. With her win she made history being the first Latina and Liberian winner and as claimed by Just Sam herself, the first "New Yorker" to win the competition. "History has been made and I wish to continue to sing music that will encourage and uplift others.", she wrote. 

On the work front, Just Sam collaborated with singer Faith Becnel for the Christmas season. Along with Faith, she released her single, The Christmas Song. Most recently in 2021, the singer released her first single titled Africando, a Spanish song, which was bankrolled by Just Sam Entertainment. 

In April 2021, she was invited to start off a basketball game between the New York Knicks and The Chicago Bulls by singing the national anthem. While the match took place in Madison Square Garden, Just Sam delivered a virtual performance which was aired on April 28, 2021. 

• Image: Just Sam's Instagram