Clay Aiken Biography

Occup.Musician
FromUSA
BornNovember 30, 1978
Age45 years
Clayton Holmes Aiken, commonly known as Clay Aiken, was born on November 30, 1978, in Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.A.. Elevated in a sincere Southern Baptist family, Aiken's very early youth focused on church tasks, where he sharpened his singing talent through several gospel performances that ultimately paved the way for his profession in the music market.

Aiken's trip to stardom can be traced back to his early life, during which he encountered countless obstacles, including an absentee papa and also economic battles dealt with by his household. Regardless of these hardships, Aiken was determined to seek his dream of ending up being a specialist entertainer. He participated in Leesville Road High School, where he signed up with the school choir, as well as later examined music education and special education and learning at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

It remained in 2003 that Aiken got his big break as a participant on the second season of the hugely popular vocal singing competition program, "American Idol". His smooth vocals and "aw-shucks" individuality swiftly gained the hearts of countless followers, that dubbed themselves the "Claymates". Though Aiken was the runner-up in the competition, losing to Ruben Studdard, he developed a solid structure for a successful profession in the songs market.

Soon after "American Idol", Aiken released his launching cd "Measure of a Man" in October 2003, showcasing his effective vocals as well as mainstream allure. The cd took place to be certified double platinum by the RIAA, and also spawned numerous effective songs, including "This Is the Night" and also "Invisible".

Over the years, Aiken has released an overall of 6 studio albums, with his most recent being "Steadfast" in 2012. His diverse discography includes a mix of pop numbers, Christmas cds, as well as motivational tracks aligning with his heavenly voice and the spiritual foundations of his very early life.

In spite of his zealous follower base, Aiken's individual life has actually often been the topic of speculation as well as conflict. His sexuality entered into inquiry multiple times before he openly came out as gay in 2008. He also came to be a father to a son, named Parker, with his friend Jaymes Foster in the exact same year.

Apart from his music career, Aiken has always been vocal about numerous social as well as political concerns. He has actually been proactively involved in supporting numerous altruistic reasons, which led him to establish the National Inclusion Project in 2003. This non-profit organization intends to give youngsters with specials needs equal access to various recreational, academic, and also developmental programs.

In 2014, Aiken took his devotion to public service a step even more by running for Congress as a Democrat in North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District. Although he shed the election to the Republican incumbent, Aiken's campaign aided bring more focus to concerns affecting his neighborhood.

Today, Aiken remains a beloved figure in the globe of entertainment and philanthropy, representing resilience, enormous ability, and also unwavering dedication to the reasons close to his heart.

Our collection contains 32 quotes who is written / told by Clay, under the main topics: Mom - Graduation.

Related authors: Ruben Studdard (Musician), Lawrence Taylor (Athlete)

Discography:

32 Famous quotes by Clay Aiken

Small: I think I probably hoped for it a little bit, but Im not an optimist. Im a realist... or maybe even a p
"I think I probably hoped for it a little bit, but I'm not an optimist. I'm a realist... or maybe even a pessimist"
Small: Well, financially its a little bit better. But its better than than when I was a teacher. But I kind of
"Well, financially it's a little bit better. But it's better than than when I was a teacher. But I kind of - it's allowed me to buy a house. And I've been able to help my mother with some stuff and my brother. So, that's nice"
Small: Im religious. I think this is something God had planned for me
"I'm religious. I think this is something God had planned for me"
Small: Im really not that special. Really, Im not. I was on a big TV show, but it was just a TV show
"I'm really not that special. Really, I'm not. I was on a big TV show, but it was just a TV show"
Small: Well, there are certain words and emotions I dont want kids hearing, and Im not changing because they t
"Well, there are certain words and emotions I don't want kids hearing, and I'm not changing because they think it's going to sell better. This is going to sound horrible, but I got 12 million votes doing what I did"
Small: I was on TV for almost sixteen weeks during American Idol. Its at the point now where its old
"I was on TV for almost sixteen weeks during American Idol. It's at the point now where it's old"
Small: I thought about that the other day after I went to the grocery store and had to sign fifteen autographs
"I thought about that the other day after I went to the grocery store and had to sign fifteen autographs before leaving. On one hand, it's just so flattering. On the other hand, sometimes it would be nice to get the bread and leave, you know?"
Small: I know this is going to sound cheesy and like Im trying to be Miss America, but the most important resp
"I know this is going to sound cheesy and like I'm trying to be Miss America, but the most important responsibility a celebrity has is to set an example and be a role model"
Small: I know that Ive got big ears and a big forehead and that my hair sticks up. But Im happy with myself.
"I know that I've got big ears and a big forehead and that my hair sticks up. But I'm happy with myself. I'm not necessarily trying to win a beauty pageant here"
Small: My mother taught me that we all have the power to achieve our dreams. What I lacked was the courage
"My mother taught me that we all have the power to achieve our dreams. What I lacked was the courage"
Small: I did get a degree in special education
"I did get a degree in special education"
Small: Its important that I make a difference in some way. Its not necessarily how I make a difference, but I
"It's important that I make a difference in some way. It's not necessarily how I make a difference, but I want to make sure that I do"
Small: I decided to study special education and fell in love with working with individuals with autism. Thats
"I decided to study special education and fell in love with working with individuals with autism. That's what I planned to do with my life"
Small: In my ideal world, no child would suffer. Charitable instincts would prevail. There would be global acc
"In my ideal world, no child would suffer. Charitable instincts would prevail. There would be global acceptance of all different types of people"
Small: Im being trained to shake the bon-bon appropriately
"I'm being trained to shake the bon-bon appropriately"
Small: But I was going to be a teacher my entire life, so I wasnt counting on money to much
"But I was going to be a teacher my entire life, so I wasn't counting on money to much"
Small: If my career detour from special education to singing has done one thing, it has afforded me the opport
"If my career detour from special education to singing has done one thing, it has afforded me the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others"
Small: I went to school for special education. I always assumed when I had the opportunity I would love to try
"I went to school for special education. I always assumed when I had the opportunity I would love to try and help kids with disabilities"
Small: I think celebrities have an obligation to the public to not just sing or act
"I think celebrities have an obligation to the public to not just sing or act"
Small: Its not the money. Its not the fame. Its the influence
"It's not the money. It's not the fame. It's the influence"
Small: Its a whole team of people working 24 hours around the clock to make me look like this
"It's a whole team of people working 24 hours around the clock to make me look like this"
Small: It doesnt really matter to me how I make a difference, I just wanna make sure that I do
"It doesn't really matter to me how I make a difference, I just wanna make sure that I do"
Small: I mean, thats kind of what this business is about in some ways. Youre trying to make everybody like you
"I mean, that's kind of what this business is about in some ways. You're trying to make everybody like you. But you can't do that. You can't force everybody - anybody to like you if they're just not willing to do it"
Small: I kind of had my life planned out for me. Id be married at some point, have, you know, 1.5 children, an
"I kind of had my life planned out for me. I'd be married at some point, have, you know, 1.5 children, and be a principal possibly one day. But I think that that was kind of my problem. I allowed myself to plan out my life and didn't let provident direction guide my life"
Small: I auditioned just for fun
"I auditioned just for fun"
Small: And I dont think that success can be measured by how many TV shows youre on
"And I don't think that success can be measured by how many TV shows you're on"
Small: Actually, I dont hate cats, Im just kind of afraid of them
"Actually, I don't hate cats, I'm just kind of afraid of them"
Small: I want to make sure that no matter how long I go through this, I dont fall into the trap of changing an
"I want to make sure that no matter how long I go through this, I don't fall into the trap of changing and modifying how I do things that aren't a positive example. I want to remain somebody that the entire family can listen to or watch"
Small: I sometimes think I might be autistic because I like to know - I need to know - my beginnings and my en
"I sometimes think I might be autistic because I like to know - I need to know - my beginnings and my ends. I don't have to be in control of it, but I need to know what's going on"
Small: I got rid of my glasses and they changed my hair. Thats really all they did. They went shopping for me,
"I got rid of my glasses and they changed my hair. That's really all they did. They went shopping for me, so the clothes are different too. It wasn't like Extreme Makeover where I got a nose job or anything"
Small: I could have a degree in music and come on the show, and Simon could still say You stink
"I could have a degree in music and come on the show, and Simon could still say 'You stink'"
Small: And I think that when I finally decided to let go and let God and allow that to happen, I became a lot
"And I think that when I finally decided to let go and let God and allow that to happen, I became a lot more successful than I could have done if I had planned it all myself"