Jordin Sparks has gone from the pages of Phoenix, Arizona-area fashion magazines to the screens of televisions across America to the radio airwaves worldwide in a steep climb to success that has yet to slow down. Most music fans first met Jordin by watching her heart-warming victory in the sixth season of the hit TV show American Idol. But for Jordin, getting to the top has been a long time coming—even if by the time she won Idol she wasn’t even old enough to vote. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Jordin is the eldest daughter of Phillippi Sparks, a former NFL football player. With natural talent to burn and the pedigree that was made for success in the lime light, it was only a matter of time and persistence before Jordin became a global sensation. One of her first tastes of fame came in 2006, when Sparks won a modeling contest and appeared in a full-page ad in Seventeen magazine. That same year she also won the Drug Free AZ Superstar Search. As a youngster, she also tried her hand at acting on stage with productions of The Wiz, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella and A Christmas Carol. Jordin tried out for American Idol in 2006, but was denied the coveted “golden ticket” upon her first audition. After her early defeat, Sparks returned home more determined than ever to get to the top. She won a state-wide talent competition called Arizona Idol and then re-auditioned before Randy, Paula and Simon in the 2007 American Idol. Jordin was an immediate crowd-pleaser this time, as she used her powerful, soulful voice to win the competition, joining such famous names as Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Hicks among the show’s champions. After winning Idol Jordin Sparks began recording hit singles, starting with “This Is My Now,” and touring with the hottest artists in the industry. Her debut album with Jive Records, Jordin Sparks, features other top songs like “Tattoo,” “No Air” and “Freeze.” More popular R&B hits are sure to follow as Sparks realizes her full potential as one of the genre’s premier voices.
