Just Sam

S18 · Winner

Latest documented update, April 29, 2024

Just Sam signed with Hollywood Records and 19 Recordings after winning in May 2020 and left the label about a year later without releasing an album. They released independent singles in 2021 and said in 2023 that they had gone back to singing in New York City subways for money. By late 2023 they had signed with an agent at CrowdMGMT, and on April 28, 2024 they returned to American Idol as a guest performer.⁠[1][2][3][4]

Career

During or around the show

  1. May 2020A single version of the finale performance of Andra Day's "Rise Up" was issued by Hollywood Records right after the win.⁠[4][9]
  2. May 2020After winning season 18, signed an exclusive recording contract with Hollywood Records and 19 Recordings.⁠[3][4]

After the show

  1. 2021Went back to singing for money in New York City subways, starting in 2021 by their own account; they made this public on Instagram in 2023.⁠[1][10]
  2. March 13, 2021Released the independent single "Africando", co-written with Cat Clark and distributed through DistroKid.⁠[4][8]
  3. September 28, 2021Released a second independent single, "Change", written and recorded with Cat Clark.⁠[4][8]

Date not documented

  1. Had signed with a new agent at the management company CrowdMGMT by late 2023.⁠[1]
  2. Left Hollywood Records about a year after the win without releasing an album; in early 2022 they said they had paid the label to reclaim songs already recorded.⁠[2][4]

Discography

No releases are documented yet.

Awards

Checked October 6, 2026; none found.

Other activity

  • April 28, 2024Returned to American Idol as a guest performer and sang Whitney Houston's "One Moment in Time".⁠[1][4]

Sources

10 sources

  1. 'American Idol' winner Just Sam returns to show after going viral for busking in NYC subway — TODAY, published April 29, 2024. News report. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (6)
    • Article body: “After winning the show in 2020, Just Sam signed a record deal with Hollywood Records but ultimately parted ways with the label, according to The Washington Post.”
    • Article body: “as of late last year had signed with a new agent at the CrowdMGMT management company, the Post reported.”
    • Article body: “In 2023, they revealed on Instagram that they were back to busking in New York City subways”
    • Article body: “signed a record deal with Hollywood Records but ultimately parted ways with the label”
    • Article body (published April 2024; 'late last year'): “as of late last year had signed with a new agent at the CrowdMGMT management company, the Post reported.”
    • Article body: “returned to the show for a guest performance Sunday with a powerful rendition of Whitney Houston's 'One Moment in Time.'”
  2. 'American Idol' 2020 Winner Just Sam Says She Went Broke Paying Back Her Record Label — Blavity (Shadow and Act), published February 1, 2022. News report. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • Article body: “After winning a contract with Hollywood Records, she left a year later before she ever recorded an album.”
    • Article body: “I'm not even going to tell you guys the amount of money that I had to pay after leaving the label to claim songs that I had already recorded.”
  3. American Idol Winner Just Sam Signs with 19 Recordings — Music Connection, published May 18, 2020. News report. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Article body: “signed an exclusive record deal with Hollywood Records/Industrial Media's 19 Recordings”
  4. Just Sam — Wikipedia, updated August 9, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (8)
    • Post-Idol section: “On March 13, 2021, Just Sam released "Africando," their first single since American Idol”
    • Post-Idol section: “On April 28, 2024, Just Sam was a guest performer on American Idol, performing a cover of "One Moment in Time" by Whitney Houston.”
    • Lead sentence: “born November 23, 1998”
    • Infobox, Born line (birth_date): {{birth date and age|1998|11|23}}
    • Discography, Singles table, 2021 and 2022 rows: “Non-album single (released by Samantha Diaz through Just Sam Entertainment)”
    • Post-Idol section: “released with the help of independent digital music service DistroKid”
    • Discography, Singles table, 2020 row: “"Rise Up" (Performance Version) ... Non-album single (released by Hollywood Records)”
    • Post-Idol section: “After winning American Idol in May 2020, Just Sam signed with Hollywood Records”
  5. List of American Idol finalists — Wikipedia, updated June 10, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Contestants table, row Just Sam: Season 18, Place finish Winner
  6. American Idol season 18 — Wikipedia, updated July 21, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Lead section; Top 5 – Finale (May 17) table; Elimination chart, row Just Sam: Pl. 1, 5/17 Winner; ratings table, episode 16 Grand Finale, May 17, 2020: “On May 17, 2020, Just Sam was crowned as the winner, with Arthur Gunn finishing as the runner-up.”
  7. 'American Idol' crowns Season 3 winner virtually — CNN, published May 18, 2020, updated May 18, 2020. News report. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Article body, paragraphs 1 and 2: “Just Sam became the show’s first ever “at home” winner”
  8. 'American Idol' Winner Just Sam Releases New Song Dedicated to Murdered Friends & Family — Heavy, published September 30, 2021. News report. Cited by another source; not opened by our researchers.
  9. New York City's Just Sam wins 'American Idol' — ABC7 News, published May 18, 2020. News report. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Article body, dated Monday, May 18, 2020: “The single version of the song will be released on Monday.”
  10. American Idol winner Just Sam details experience returning to subway busking — The A.V. Club, published May 24, 2023. News report. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Quoted statement: “Back in 2021, I was super embarrassed to be going back to the trains.”

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