Ruben Studdard | Letters To Birmingham | 3.13.2012

[syrus]

Birmingham’s own, Ruben Studdard preps his new release “Letters From Birmingham”, out on Shanachie Records on March 13th, 2012. The lead track “Rock Witcha” is a cover of Bobby Brown’s classic record.

[areyoureadytojump]

Out now!

[SHOOTER]

1. Letter #1
2. Turn You Out
3. Love Skies
4. Wear Me
5. Letter #2
6. Pure Imagination
7. Do It Right feat. Chrisette Michele
8. Today (Hallelujah!)
9. Letter #3
10. Twisted Love
11. Rock Wit'cha feat. K. Michelle
12. All About You
13. Letter #4
14. Her 4 U
15. What's the Reason
16. June 28th (I'm Single)

Best album of his career. What sucks is that it will probably sell less than the 53k that Love Is managed.

[George]

Ruben Studdard files for divorce from wife Surata Zuri McCants after three years of marriage



Thursday, November 17, 2011, 3:20 PM

"American Idol" winner Ruben Studdard has pulled the plug on his three-year marriage.

The 33-year-old singer has filed for divorce from wife Surata Zuri McCants in Alabama, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their split.

"Ruben and Zuri have gone their separate ways," his rep confirmed to TMZ.

Studdard first met McCants in 2006 at a Wal-Mart in Atlanta, where he was signing CDs for fans.

The couple dated for two years before tying the knot in a private ceremony in June 2008. They don’t have any children together.

Studdard was crowned "Idol" champ in 2003, and went on to have a successful career with his first album, "Soulful." He was nominated for a Grammy Award for his single, “Superstar,” and entered the Billboard 200 at No. 20 with his second album, “I Need an Angel.”

[George]

Ruben Studdard Given Ultimatum: Diet or Die Young
By Njai Joszor



American Idol winner Ruben Studdard is alleged to have reached nearly 400 pounds since his divorce from Surata McCants. According to insiders, family members are now concerned Studdard may "die tragically young" if he doesn't take care of his health sooner-rather-than-later.

"Now his loved ones fear he will die tragically young,” says a source. “He agrees he needs to get help, and everyone is praying he’ll succeed.”

As widely reported in 2006, Studdard lost over 60lbs in a weight loss program but, sources say the divorce and battle over a prenup that came with it has caused him to put the weight back on.

“It’s diet or DIE for Ruben," a source tells the National Enquirer.

Studdard did make a series of appearances in support of his latest album "Letters From Birmingham" in March. He also made an appearance on Atlanta's "Good Day Atlanta (Fox)" last week but did not discuss his alleged struggle.

"It's just a great opportunity to have an outlet to express yourself musically," Studdard told Good Day Atlanta. "Just to have the ability to have a ninth or tenth single and five albums is a blessing for me."

[George]

Ruben Studdard Will Compete on The Biggest Loser
By PATRICK GOMEZ
07/01/2013 at 09:00 AM EDT



Ruben Studdard has already won the title of American Idol. Now he may become The Biggest Loser.

The "Velvet Teddy Bear," who won season 2 of the Fox singing competition in 2003, will compete on the NBC weight loss show as he attempts to battle his obesity – a task he has attempted previously with limited success.

"I was losing weight, but I was exhausted. It was making me sick," the 35-year-old told PEOPLE in 2006 after attempting an intense workout regimen on about 1,200 calories a day with trainer Gunnar Peterson. "I'm a big man. There was no way to do those workouts on that amount of food, so everything was contradicting itself."

Studdard quit that weight-loss plan after losing just 12 lbs., but eventually found vegetarianism which – along with exercise – resulted in his losing more than 70 of his 455 lbs. in 2006.

"Every week we would start by writing out a meal plan and calories," Studdard said about his then-new diet. "The people at the vegetarian store in Birmingham are like, 'What's he doing in here?'"

In 2008, the "Sorry 2004" singer fell in love and married Surata Zuri McCants and remained healthy throughout his marriage, but began putting weight back on after the couple divorced in 2012.

Now, Studdard will take another shot at weight loss on the 15th installment of The Biggest Loser.

"I've never had an issue with my weight," Studdard has said. "[But] my family has a history of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart-related issues – things I didn't have to deal with yet because I'm young. But I don't want to be worried at 40, and if I don't fix things now, I will be."

The Biggest Loser returns to NBC on Tuesdays this fall.

[George]

Album in stores next week!



1. The Nearness Of You
2. Close The Door
3. Love, Look What You've Done To Me
4. I Can't Make You Love Me
5. Hello Again
6. Love, Love, Love
7. They Long To Be (Close To You)
8. If This World Were Mine [feat. Lalah Hathaway]
9. My Love
10. Unconditional
11. Meant To Be

[George]

EXCLUSIVE: Ruben Studdard on 'Biggest Loser' Elimination and Weight-Loss Goals
By Derrick Bryson Taylor



Former American Idol winner Ruben Studdard may have dropped 70 pounds during his short tenure on NBC's Biggest Loser, but the self-proclaimed Velvet Teddy Bear says he's got much more to go.

Weeks into the show, Studdard was diagnosed with diabetes—shocking news that would push anyone to make health a priority. On top of his demanding workout routines, Studdard has been recording new music.

ESSENCE.com caught up with the singer to see how he's going to keep his weight-loss goals after elimination and learn more about his upcoming album, Unconditional Love.

ESSENCE.com: What do you think is the reason why you fell a little short in your last weigh-in causing your elimination?

RUBEN STUDDARD: I think everybody's body responds differently every week. The week prior I loss seven pounds. It's a lot that goes on behind the scenes that I'm not privy too that I can't explain to you. But as for as that goes, I most definitely was sidelined by a knee injury that week. I had to workout around that. It just didn't add up. I don't know if it was muscle gain or whatever. There are't any excuses. I loss two pounds. I was happy about those two pounds, unfortunately it wasn't enough to keep me on the ranch.

ESSENCE.com: How will you continue you're transformation without the coaches?

STUDDARD: I workout every single day. Ever since I left the ranch I've been continuing. I loss 70 pounds up until the point I left. Now I'm down 112 pounds. I still have a lot more to go. I'm going to get up every day, work hard, try to eat the right things and live a healthier lifestyle.

ESSENCE.com: What do you want your final outcome to be—number wise?

STUDDARD: I do have a weight-loss goal that I haven't really shared with anybody, I'm trying to keep that to myself. What I want to do is figure out what my physical best is. I've never seen that. I've been a big guy since I was 11 years old. I've never seen what being completely physically fit means for me. That is my goal for my birth day (September 12th). I've got to do it bit by bit. You can't tear down the Great Wall of China in a day. You've got to do it over a period of time.

ESSENCE.com: There was a little bit of controversy when it came to your first elimination and eventual return. (Jillian Michaels gave her team caffeine pills. The weigh-in results were then deemed unfair, allowing Studdard to return.)

STUDDARD: I was there. The results show and weigh-ins are a lot longer than you guys get to see. They can only show you a fragment of an eight-hour weigh-in. It's a lot that is said that can't be shown. But I was really pleased with how far I had come. After I saw that I loss two pounds, I just said it is what it is. There really was no personal reaction. I really hated that my roommate and friend, Craig Arrington, was eliminated the week that I returned. I was happy that I got an opportunity to come back. Jillian is her own person. No one controls what anybody does. She stood behind it with her professional opinion. It has nothing to do with Ruben.

ESSENCE.com: Getting rid of weight is a tough challenge both physically and mentally. Speak to that experience.

STUDDARD: It's most definitely challenging. Food is every where. It will never go away, you need it to live. It's not something you can stop having. The thing that we have to do is always try our 100% best to make the healthy choices. It becomes easier the more you do it.

ESSENCE.com: Tell us about your new single, "Meant to Be," from your upcoming album, Unconditional Love, out in February 4th.

STUDDARD: I only got a day to do that. We wrote that song and recorded it. That song speaks to where we all are. Everybody has a place where they are meant to be. That is something where hard work and dedication will get you to. That song really speaks to that and speaks to learning to love yourself fully.

[SHOOTER]

17k sold to date.

[George]

His new album Ruben Sings Luther: A Tribute was released last Friday:



1. Always and Forever
2. Never Too Much
3. So Amazing
4. Don't You Know That?
5. Bad Boy / Having a Party
6. Love Won't Let Me Wait
7. Here and Now
8. Til My Baby Comes Home
9. A House is Not a Home
10. Power of Love



He also just announced a 22-city tour titled Always And Forever: An Evening Of Luther Vandross Starring Ruben Studdard:

www.mjsbigblog.com/american-idol-ruben-studdard-tribute-to-luther-vandross-with-album-tour.htm

www.rubensingsluther.com/tour/

[SHOOTER]

The things quite a few American Idol winners have been reduced to is just sad.

[Deleted]

I have still not forgiven J Records for basically screwing over Ruben's entire longterm career by shoving a bunch of "contemporary" garbage on his debut instead of the Charlie Wilson/Luther vibe album everyone was expecting from him. And at a time when when crooning over some Charlie Wilson/Luther UAC ballads could still move units! Just pure foolishness for no reason.

[SHOOTER]

Mar 14, 2018 5:31:16 GMT -5 @antigonerising said:

I have still not forgiven J Records for basically screwing over Ruben's entire longterm career by shoving a bunch of "contemporary" garbage on his debut instead of the Charlie Wilson/Luther vibe album everyone was expecting from him. And at a time when when crooning over some Charlie Wilson/Luther UAC ballads could still move units! Just pure foolishness for no reason.

What you mean?!







These were 2003 contemporary R&B classics just waiting to be unleashed!!

[George]

[George]

New interviews:

[George]

Appearing on American Idol:

[George]

New album, label and tour:

Singles:

[George]

Album is out now:

Video for “Masterpiece” is premiering next Friday.

Also, a nice interview about his 20th anniversary tour with Clay Aiken:

[George]