American Idol’s Just Sam Says She’s Singing in NYC Subway Stations – Hollywood Life

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american idol winner 2020 Just Sam (a.k.a Samantha Diaz) recently revealed a sobering truth. According The sun, she opened up about her return to the streets in New York’s subways in a since-deleted Instagram caption May 1. Along with a video of the hugely talented singer performing at the station wearing camouflage pants and a jacket, she shared details. “In 2021, I was super embarrassed to get back on trains,” she reportedly wrote.

“I didn’t want people to know that I legitimately needed the money and I didn’t want people to know that it wasn’t optional. I was disappointed in myself for letting myself down so low after winning Idol, but I had to take it easy and remember that I started my journey with Idol at 20. Not even knowing anything about Hollywood or the music industry.

Samantha continued, explaining what she’s learned since her huge success on American Idol. “Since then, I’ve learned so much and been able to share my experiences with other artists in hopes that they don’t go through the same things as me when it comes to succeeding in this life,” she wrote. “For my season there was COVID-19 which literally shut down the world and put a lot of people in hiding who didn’t know what was going to happen next. I was very unsure of what was going to happen. For a few months after winning, I wasn’t sure what was coming next, but I was ready and expecting anything.

Just Sam continued, “Everyone wants to know what happened and why this or why that and I’ll answer those questions someday, but in the meantime I’ll say this. I didn’t expect to win, but I did it, I was so grateful and I know people feel like I let them down.

Sam has the detailed and heartbreaking feeling that she’s let “everyone down,” including herself. “I’m not like any other competitor who’s ever had the chance to be apart (sic) of the american idol production,” she shared. “My year is unlike any other.” The TV personality continued, “There are people who have been more successful than me and good for them, I’m happy for them, but I’m not them. I don’t like my situation, but it won’t be like this forever.

Samantha won season 18 of american idol in May 2020. The New York native had openly shared in the past that she had been singing on New York City subways since middle school to help support her grandmother as her mother was incarcerated.

During a particularly moving episode, judge Lionel Richie said, “I want you to feel safe. I’m so grateful that God put you before us. She then asked the judges to pray with her, which they did.

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