Samantha Diaz is returning to “American Idol” this Sunday.
Diaz, aka Just Sam, won the content four years ago, in 2020. She arrived there as New York subway performer, or busker.
After she won, her career did not take off. Diaz returned to the subway platform, where she’s been ever since.
Her 2020 win coincided with the beginning of COVID. She admitted in a later interview “no one wanted to work in a studio.”
“Back in 2021, I was super embarrassed to be going back to the trains. I didn’t want people to know that I legit needed the money & I didn’t want people to know that it wasn’t optional,” Diaz wrote, in a since-deleted post. “I was disappointed in myself for allowing myself to fall so low after winning Idol, but then I had to take it easy on me and remember that I started my journey with Idol at 20 years old. Not even knowing anything about Hollywood or the music industry.”
Two days ago, Diaz — who has a phenomenal voice and deserves a real music career — posted this message to Instagram:
