THE VILLAGES, Fla. – Yes, you read that sub-headline correctly, it has been more than 20 years since Ruben Studdard became the second American Idol winner, beating runner-up Clay Aiken by 134,000 votes.
“20 years is sort of a big deal. Ruben made the point to remind me of it. It’s kind of crazy to believe it’s been 20 years. It’s mind blowing. It feels like it was just yesterday for us and I think a lot of people who watch. You know, it seems like something worth celebrating,” said Aiken.
The duo are coming together and bringing their ‘Twenty | The Tour’ to The Villages on Wednesday, Jan. 31. It’s one of their three Florida stops, with other performances in Jacksonville and Key Largo.
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“We’re thrilled to be coming to some warm weather. We’ve spent the last few weeks up in the upper Midwest and we’re in the Northeast now where it’s bitterly cold and we are thrilled that the last part of our tour is in Florida, so we can get some gorgeous weather finally,” said Aiken.
Studdard and Aiken first took the spotlight in 2003, on the second season of American Idol. Both are from the South, with Studdard growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, and Aiken born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina.
“We had seen the first season, seen a little bit of what had happened in season one, and I think both of us just thought it would be a summer camp experience. Ruben auditioned in Nashville. I auditioned in Atlanta. We’re sent to Hollywood and went through the whole Hollywood week experience. I mean it kind of snowballed from there,” said Aiken.
They rose in popularity in the singing-competition show and quickly became audience favorites.
On their season finale, more than 38 million viewers tuned in to hear the results of more than 124 million votes cast, making it the highest-rated regularly scheduled, live, non-sporting television episode of the 21st century.
“No one in our season really realized it was going to be this huge hit. It had 9 million viewers season one, and 40 million viewers in our season, so it was a huge jump. None of us had recognized what the stakes were going to be. No one knew what to expect, so we just thought we were going to go have a good time and it ended up changing our lives,” Aiken said.
Combined, Studdard and Aiken have recorded twelve albums, sold more than eight million albums worldwide, toured the country 14 times, starred together on Broadway, won four Billboard Music Awards, an American Music Award, and have been nominated for two Grammys.
During their performance, you can expect them to perform some of their hits from American Idol, including Studdard’s ‘Flying Without Wings,’ and Aiken’s iconic rendition of ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water.’
“We’re kind of recreating 2003. We’re doing a lot of stuff that we did on the show in 2003. We’re telling the stories of what it was like to be on the show in 2003, backstage, that type of stuff. I think what made Idol such a hit from the beginning was that it was music that people could sing along to,” said Aiken.
He said during the show, they also talk about what it was like working with Lamont Dozier, Olivia Newton-John, Robin Gibb, and Smokey Robinson.
“We sing some of their music. So it’s all music that is part of the American songbook from the last 50 years, stuff that people know, and can sing along to and dance to and enjoy. We really try to transport people back to 2003,” Aiken explained.
The show at the Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center starts at 7 p.m.. Ticket information can be found here.
Watch the full interview with Clay Aiken below:
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