Jennifer Hudson: ‘Performing in gay clubs was my training’

Jennifer Hudson has revealed that she started out performing in gay clubs.

The American Idol alumni told V Magazine that she and her best friend would go to gay venues when she was 16 or 17 so she could perform.

“I used to go to gay clubs when I was a kid. We were 16 or 17 and my best friend would pretend to be my manager.

“He’d have business cards made up and he’d negotiate for me to sing for $25 a song. I’d have these amazing drag queens style me up and down, honey.

She credits gay venues with allowing her to perfect her craft.

“They would be up there lip-synching and then I’d get up and sing for real – some Whitney Houston or some old-school Shirley Murdock – and I would make all the money. That was like my training, basically,” she added.

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