Is Clay Aiken Married? | The US sun
CLAY Aiken rose to fame after appearing on American Idol and has since turned to television and theater and politics.
But who is the 44-year-old star, where is he now and is he married? Here you will find everything you need to know.
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Who is Clay Aiken?
Clayton “Clay” Aiken is a singer, actor and politician from Raleigh, North Carolina.
He placed second in the second season of American Idol.
As a child he sang in school and church choirs and was active in the local theatre.
He attended Leesville Road High School and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
He previously worked for the YMCA and is a Baptist.
Is Clay Aiken Married?
In addition to his career moves, Clay Aiken also makes headlines in the media because of his relationships.
He publicly came out as gay in 2008 and has had three public relationships.
Aiken dated former Survivor contestant Reed Kelly from 2008 to 2010.
Following his split from Kelly, it was reported that Aiken was in a romantic relationship with Devin Finn in 2010.
Aiken’s relationship with Jeff Walters lasted from 2010 to 2011.
Before coming out, he had a son with his “dear friend” Jaymes Foster Levy.
The couple are not believed to have been romantically involved and their son, Parker Foster Aiken, was conceived through in vitro fertilization.
Aiken is currently considered single.
Since revealing his sexuality, he has been a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and has spoken on behalf of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network about anti-gay bulling on Capitol Hill.
When was Clay Aiken on American Idol?
Aiken placed second in the second season of American Idol, which aired in 2003.
He finished second behind Alabama-based singer Ruben Studdard.
At his audition, Aiken sang Heatwave’s “Always and Forever” before later wowing audiences in the competition with renditions of Elton John and Neil Sedaka hits.
Over 24 million votes were cast in the final, with Aiken losing by just 134,000 votes.
He returned to the series for a special appearance in season five and hosted season two of American Idol Rewind.
Where is Clay Aiken now?
Aiken has reunited with his victorious rival Studdard to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their TV debut with a singing tour.
He has released six studio albums and has numerous acting credits.
His television credits include guest appearances on Phineas and Ferb and The Office, while on Broadway he appeared in Monty Python’s Spamalot.
In addition to his career in entertainment, Aiken has run for office twice.
He was the Democratic nominee for North Carolina’s 2nd congressional district, but failed against Republican opponent Renee Ellmers.
In 2022, he placed third in the primary for the state’s 4th congressional district, which current Rep. Valeri Foushee would win.