29-year-old Chicago-born R&B and soul singer, [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Jennifer Hudson[/lastfm], has a long resume of accomplishments–and she’s only been active in the public eye for seven years since her audition on American Idol.

In that time span, Hudson has won an Academy Award, befriended huge public figures like President Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey, become the face of a giant advertising campaign for Weight Watchers, and tragically lost her family–including her brother and mother–to a senseless murder.

Hudson has been through a lot, which makes her live performances even more magical and powerful, especially her free streaming Live on Letterman concert from the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York, on June 13th at 9 PM ET. You can watch the entire concert, live right here!

2004:

Photo by Peter Kramer//Getty Images

• Hudson auditions in Atlanta singing [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Aretha Franklin[/lastfm]‘s “Share Your Love With Me.” Previously, Hudson was a Disney cruise ship singer.
• Hudson makes it to the “Top 7,” but gets voted off, allegedly due to a power outage in her hometown of Chicago.