Samantha Diaz won the 2020 18th American season. Due to the raging epidemic, this was not a typical edition of the program. From the middle of the series, the participants performed “remotely”. Diaz, who goes by the stage name Just Sam, learned of her victory while sitting alone in her bedroom. During the announcement of the results in the chat, she connected with her grandmother, and when the verdict was announced, she almost dropped the tablet in shock.
Idol won. Three years later, he has to sing on the subway
After winning the show, Just Sam signed a contract with the label, but the contract was quickly broken. The singer recorded and released only one song, and later parted ways with the publisher.
“I thought it would be easy. I’ll go into the studio, record music and release songs, but that’s not how it works in this world. This is not how the industry works. It takes time and money that I don’t have. Patience is needed,” she later explained in an interview with Chicago Defender. Just Sam had to pay Hollywood Records for the music they recorded under contract, which made it out of cash. Now he plans to release his songs, “When they’re ready and when I’m ready for it.”
24-year-old Samantha Diaz found herself in a difficult situation – she had no money to live. Having no other choice, she went back to singing at subway stops to make some money. She kept it a secret for a long time, but in April 2023 she posted recordings of her street performances on her Instagram profile – she sings songs such as “Easy on Me” by Adele, “Listen” by Beyoncé and “Almost Is Never Enough” by Ariana Grande.
“I was very disappointed in myself because I allowed myself to fall so low after winning ‘Idol’. But then I gave up because I remembered that I started my adventure with the program at the age of 20” – her words “Insider”.
Diaz adds, “I’ve learned a lot since then, and I’m now able to share my experiences with other people and artists because I hope they don’t suffer the same fate.”
“Everybody wants to know what happened and one day I’ll answer those questions but for now I’ll just say I never expected to win but it did and I’m so grateful. I also know there are people who feel that I let them down,” she tells Deadline for The Sun. Just Sam also emphasizes – “Everything happens for a reason and I know it will pass, although things are the way they are now. I didn’t know what to do with the winnings, especially since I had no help at all. There are people who have much more successful and I’m happy about that, but I’m not them. I don’t like my situation, but it won’t be like this forever.”
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
