Jordin Sparks: From American Idol Champ to Newlywed Mom-to-be!

Kate Hogan

December 22, 2017 at 10:00 AM

<p>Born in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1989, Jordin Sparks grew up in Ridgewood, New Jersey, while her dad played football for the New York Giants. She returned to Phoenix as a teen — and let her love of singing take her from there.</p>

<p>In 2006, Sparks auditioned for the sixth season of <em>American Idol</em> and ultimately made it all the way to the top, besting beatboxer Blake Lewis for the title. At 17, she became the youngest <em>Idol</em> champ ever — a record she still holds.</p>

<p>Growing up the height of her dad Phillippi Sparks' NFL career, Sparks was "immersed in the game," <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/super-bowl/6867151/jordin-sparks-super-bowl-mvp-pick-dad-nfl-past" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:she told Billboard in 2016;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">she told <em>Billboard</em> in 2016</a>. "Watching it, learning and understanding it and loving it."</p>

<p>Though her parents split years ago, "I feel like my biggest influence in life is my family. They just inspire me every day," <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://www.instyle.com/news/jordin-sparks-interview-inspiration-life-advice-video" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Sparks told InStyle in 2015;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Sparks told <em>InStyle </em>in 2015</a>. "I get a lot of amazing traits from my dad and my mom. My mom is very headstrong, and so is my dad ... I definitely get that from them. If I make a decision on something, you are not going to move me — so good luck with that!" Her mom, Jodi Jackson, <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://people.com/celebrity/jordin-sparks-calls-her-moms-recent-wedding-a-proud-moment/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:remarried in 2014;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">remarried in 2014</a>.</p>

<p>In 2009, Sparks scored her first Grammy nomination — Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals — for her duet with Chris Brown, "No Air." The young stars didn't win, though did earn BET, Teen Choice, People's Choice and BMI Pop awards for the track.</p>

<p>Sparks' singing talents opened even more doors for her in 2010, when she joined the Broadway cast of Lin-Manuel Miranda's <em>In the Heights </em>for three months as Nina, a Stanford drop-out.</p>

<p>Known in part for her curves, Sparks appeared on a June 2011 cover of PEOPLE talking about her 30-lb. slimdown. "Before, if I were to wear a bikini, it would just be in front of my mom or really close friends with a coverup," said the pop star, who credited eating smaller portions and taking Zumba, the popular Latin dance-inspired cardio class, for her "sexier" silhouette. "I feel good! I love that I still have my curves. I definitely didn't want to lose those," she said, adding, "I don't want to lose more weight. I just want to tone. I'm in a really good place now."</p>

<p>At the same time, Sparks' acting career began to take off, and she <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://people.com/movies/whitney-houston-jordin-sparks-in-sparkle/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:joined the star-studded cast of Sparkle;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">joined the star-studded cast of <em>Sparkle </em></a>in the title role. But the bright spot took a somewhat darker turn with costar Whitney Houston's untimely death that February. “The first day she got [to the set] she’s scolding me, and I’m thinking this is the best day ever. She went from being this unreachable supernova pop star to my costar, friend and someone who was like a mentor to me," Sparks recounted <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://people.com/celebrity/jordin-sparks-whitney-houston-tribute/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:at the ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood luncheon;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">at the ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood luncheon</a> days after Houston's death. "It was a gift and an honor to play opposite Whitney Houston in the film.”</p>

<p>Sparks moved on from Derulo with rapper Sage the Gemini, dating him for 10 months from 2015 to 2016. “He’s a great guy. He makes me smile every single day,” <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://people.com/celebrity/jordin-sparks-confirms-relationship-with-sage-the-gemini/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:she told PEOPLE;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">she told PEOPLE</a> before their <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://people.com/celebrity/jordin-sparks-and-sage-the-gemini-break-up/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:February 2016 split;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">February 2016 split</a>. “He’s just very low-key and down to Earth as well. We don’t have to always worry about getting up and getting ready or feeling like we have to.”</p>

<p>Her latest relationship is moving in a decidedly happier direction: in November 2017, Sparks revealed to PEOPLE that she secretly married boyfriend Dana Isaiah in July — <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://people.com/babies/jordin-sparks-pregnant-married-dana-isaiah/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:and they're expecting a baby together this spring;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">and they're expecting a baby together this spring</a>! “We’re both really excited,” said Sparks about finally opening up about their happy news. “He’s been like, ‘I want to shout it from the mountain tops!’ We’re really proud to be married to each other and to be celebrating this.”</p>

JORDIN SPARKS & DANA ISAIAH

The American Idol winner (and mom-to-be!) tied the knot with her aspiring model husband in July 2017 while on vacation with friends in Hawaii. "We hadn't had a set plan or anything. We were like, 'If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, that's okay too,'" Sparks told PEOPLE. "We all get in the water, and we're having a good time, and I just was like … 'Why don't [we] do it right now?'"

Courtesy Jordin Sparks

Jordin Sparks Married, Pregnant, Her Life in Photos

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Jordin Sparks: From American Idol Champ to Newlywed Mom-to-be!

JORDIN SPARKS & DANA ISAIAH

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