“American Idol”  finalist, Hudson, 30, belted a powerful and teary rendition of Houston‘s most popular tune,  “I Will Always Love You” during a Grammy tribute to music industry professionals who died last year, and in particular, Whitney Houston…

Hudson began the song a capella, which garnered her quick applause for her vocal pacing and her uncanny ability to capture the mood of Houston‘s version of the song, a Dolly Parton original that became one of the biggest songs of all time when Whitney sang it for the soundtrack for the 1992 film “The Bodyguard.”

Hudson fought back tears as she sang lyrics pledging unconditional love, and breathing new life into the iconic piece that tells the story of “bittersweet memories” and promises to “think of you every step of the way.”

Though Hudson is clearly capable of mimicking Whitney‘s signature climatic high note at the end of the song’s chorus, she tastefully opted not to do so in honor of the late entertainer. Hudson closed the song with an emotional and soft-spoken, “we love you” addressed to Whitney Houston.

Watch Jennifer Hudson bring Whitney Houston to back to life at the 54th Grammy Awards…

Photos Via Video Screen Grabs

When the news of the six-time Grammy award winner’s death broke out, a tribute to the late singer was immediately planned for the event, despite her passing overshadowing this year’s awards. Hudson, another Grammy winner, will be honoring the late singer by performing one of Whitney Houston‘s biggest hits and most memorable song from her movie, “The Bodyguard”…

During impromptu rehearsals on Sunday, Hudson was overcome with emotion and broke down in tears.

“Whitney, we will always love you,”

Hudson sobbed.

She had previously presented her rendition of the  song at the BET Honors for Houston in 2010 when Whitney was still alive.

Watch Whitney Houston perform the song, originally penned and performed by Dolly Parton.

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Jennifer flaunted her new size 0 body in a colorful outfit, which consisted of a white Gucci tee, a tiered beige and yellow skirt (also by Gucci), and blue ankle-strap Giuseppe Zanotti platform pumps.

Jennifer completed the outfit with a large blue statement necklace, hoop earrings, and a stack of silver bracelets.

Crimped hair, brown and yellow eye makeup, and glossy berry lips finished her look.

This is a pretty cute look on Jennifer—she looks fun and fresh!

But maybe she over-accessorized just a tad bit…

Photos By PR Photos

The “American Idol” finalist and Oscar winner earlier admitted she’d turned down the role of “Precious,” which eventually went to Gabourey Sidebe, because she wanted “a role that didn’t have anything to do with my weight” (and also because she didn’t want to get fat again after all her progress with Weight Watchers). Now she says she’ll willingly gain back the blubber to do a movie if the right role comes her way. What gives?

“When I do films, it has to be led by something through me — like my passion for it,”

Hudson said, trying to explain away her sudden change of mind during a book signing for her weight loss autobiography, “”I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down.”

“I just don’t want to hop into anything. So if I commit myself to something, then it’ll be worth it no matter what character it is.”

So why’d she decline the lead role for “Precious,” then?

“I felt it was too graphic for me at the time,”

Hudson continued.

“It’s something I didn’t want to do at the time, but I would gain weight in a heartbeat. I have no issues with that at all.”

A lady can change her mind, can’t she?

Besides, she did say one of her New Year’s resolutions was “absolutely no dieting!”

So where do we see Jennifer Hudson next? In a biopic for Aretha Franklin?

Photo By PR Photos

After shrinking to nearly half of her body weight, the “Dreamgirls” Oscar winner and “American Idol” finalist is shaking her head at dieting this 2012. Has she had enough of Weight Watchers, which she signed on to in 2010? Or is she disappointed her book chronicling her weight loss experience, “I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down” isn’t selling as well as Snooki‘s bestselling “A Shore Thing” and “Confessions of a Guidette?”

“First of all, no diets!”

Jennifer tells Fashionetc. in an exclusive interview.

“Please don’t do a diet. The best way is the healthy way, the natural way. I always say, if it can’t be done naturally it can’t be done by me. At all!”

Well, that’s the spirit. No Zantrex for this gal.

“You must always eat what you want,”

Hudson advices.

“When I’m like, ‘dang. I want my chocolate chip cookies and it’s 16 points,’ I’m going to eat at least half of it, but won’t have anything else.”

And besides…

“When I love something, and I know I [shouldn’t] eat it all, I love to feed other people.”

So, okay…if you can’t eat what you want, feed it to other people and snicker at the thought they’re going to get fat, not you.

Let’s hope Jennifer Hudson retains her whistle bait figure this year, because we sure as heck enjoy looking at her and marveling at how far she’s come…

Photos By PR Photos

Which turned out to be very good news for Gabourey Sidibe, wasn’t it?

Jennifer, who’d just won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role of Effie in “Dreamgirls” was given the opportunity to turn out another award-winning performance as the 300-lb. illiterate and obese 16-year-old single mother living in a dysfunctional and abusive home.

But Hudson, who said she’d had to gain weight for her role in “Dreamgirls,” was working her way through all that now eliminated 80 lbs. with Weight Watchers, and didn’t fancy going through the physical strain of having to balloon to 300 lbs. just for the chance to win another naked golden man.

“I had done that with Effie… and as much as I was moved by this film,”

Hudson wrote in her book “I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down.”

“I wanted to try a role that had nothing whatsoever to do with my weight.”

Good thing director Lee Daniels found an already 300-lb. actress in the person of New York college student, Gabourey Sidibe (who cut class to audition), for the role.

And the rest is, as we all say, is Oscar-nominated history…

Photos By PR Photos

In a recent interview, Jennifer revealed that the only reason she’s alive right now is because of her fiancé. The “American Idol” alum, whose family was murdered back in 2008, was saved from meeting the same fate as her mother Darnell Donerson, brother Jason Hudson, and nephew Julian King because her fiancé, wrestler David Otunga, asked her to join him at a WWE event in Tampa instead of coming home to her family.

Jennifer tells Ebony magazine:

“I flew out to see him; that’s why I’m still here. I’ve never said that before, and I can’t believe I just said that now. But I didn’t know. He was just like, ‘I’m going to this wrestling thing, and it’s in Tampa. I’m going out there now, so you can come out there and see me versus going home.’ “

She adds:

“That’s one of the things that saved my life, because I could have been home with my mom then… He wanted me to come out to Florida with him instead of going to Chicago.”

images via WENN

Tsk tsk. Not cool, girl.

Jennifer reportedly did not show up for the Michael Jackson tribute concert yesterday, despite the fact that she had already been paid to do the gig. A few hours before the show, the singer tweeted:

“To my uk fans that were coming to the mj show in wales. I will no longer be attentding (sic) due to major production issues.”

According to TMZ’s sources, Jennifer believes she wasn’t given enough time to prepare for the song that she was supposed to perform at the concert. But,the thing is, she and all the other performers received the music at the same time, so why was she the only one who had a problem with it?

Also, the newly-slim singer reportedly signed her contract and received her full payment to do the concert… so she really shouldn’t have backed out at the last minute,

Oh, Jennifer. Did you really have to disappoint MJ?

image via WENN

“I feel like they’re talking to someone else. I’m like, ‘Who are you trying to talk to?’ My mind hasn’t caught up yet … I didn’t expect to go as far as I did.”

Jennifer told Joy Behar on “The View”. Star news is under the impression Jennifer still feels she’s the size 16 she was before American Idol and an Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA awards catapulted her to stardom.

“Instead of saying I lost this or that, I [say I] feel like I gained 10 years of my youth back. I look 10 years younger. People say to me, ‘You have Jennifer Hudson‘s face. Are you her little sister?’”

If we were Jennifer Hudson‘s body today, we’d be struttin’ our stuff for all to see. Not covering ourselves up like she’s going to do in her new film “Winnie,” a biopic about Nelson Mandela’s wife that’ll be in theaters late this year.

Image via WENN

Jennifer’s been quoted as saying.

The American Idol finalist and Oscar winner has signed a book deal, and it’s due out in January next year. So all you tubbies hold on to your couches and find out how this Grammy award winner who grew up “in an environment where healthy living was not a priority,” go down 10 dress sizes without ending up looking like LeAnn Rimes on her honeymoon.

Hollywood celebrity news read in a statement from publisher Dutton saying:

“Hudson wants to inspire anyone coping with weight issues, share some of her own best tips for losing and maintaining weight loss, fitting in exercise and keeping it fun.”

In fact, Jennifer Hudson‘s had so much fun, she’s found she’s developed some form of amnesia each time she looks into a mirror:

“It’s like a brand-new me. Sometimes I don’t even recognize myself.”

Images via WENN

While Hudson’s weight struggle and self-help tips are marketable, sources say because of her $1 million-plus demand for the deal, publishers are holding out for the full story about her coping with the horrific slaying of her family which she finds too hard to discuss. In case you didn’t know, Hudson’s mother, Darnell Donnerson, her older brother, Jason, and her 7-year-old nephew, Julian King, were all killed in October 2008, allegedly by her brother-in-law, William Balfour, who was indicted for murder.

Hudson, the Oscar and Grammy winner has rarely commented on the tragedy. According to Hollywood gossip news, she did meet up with a news magazine journalist to discuss penning a memoir about the tragedy but backed out of it because it’s just too soon.

During a February appearance on Oprah Winfrey’s show, she struggled to speak about it and started crying as she said, “My mother right now would say to me, ‘Why are you always crying? Stop crying. You’ve got to keep going.’ “

Hey I’ll read Jennifer’s book on weight struggle. She went from a size 16 to 6 and that’s no joke! As for the killing, I think it’s way too painful and way too soon for her to pen anything.

Would you buy a Jennifer book about her weight struggle and her weight loss transformation?

Here are some before and after shots of Jennifer and be honest she didn’t look half as good then, did she?

images via WENN

She told The Daily Mirror:

“But I won’t be taking my clothes off – no way at all. Beyonce and Rihanna can have that. I like to cover up more. I won’t do Playboy. Playboy can call, and wait. That’s just not me.”

Instead, Jennifer says she’s just beginning to enjoy all the new clothes she can wear now after an 80 pound weight loss.

Photos: WENN

You’d think he would be really excited for the change though, since it makes her that much healthier!

“He’s getting adjusted to it,” Hudson said of her new look. “He’s not really into change that much.”

Hudson admits she’s definitely more into fashion and clothes now that she’s proud of her new figure, but said Otunga doesn’t always get her new style.

“He fusses at me like, ‘Why do you have to have to get all dressed up to go out, and why can’t you just go out like you used to?’” she said. “And I’m like, ‘I’m a walking billboard now, honey!’”

Some sources go as far as saying he doesn’t like it at all and it is affecting her relationship.  Why would someone be unhappy with their partner after they lose weight?

Photos via WENN

Jennifer Hudson, she went from a size 16 down to a size 6. Hudson thinks her body is perfect and she doesn’t want to lose any more weight.”I don’t want to lose any more weight and you’re never going to see me skinny,” Jennifer said last year.

Raven Symone always thought of herself as fabulous looking anyway even when she was much bigger! Whether you all agree or not, the now Raven looks way hotter! I think she knows that too!

Kelly Osbourne dropped over 40 pounds! Kelly told Us Weekly, “I took more hell for being fat than I did for being an absolute raging drug addict. I will never understand that.”

Don’t you agree that Hudson, Symone and Osbourne look amazing after their dramatic weight loss?

Have a fabulous fit Saturday!

images via WENN

Why would Rihanna bail when people paid good money to see her? Her doctor made her do it!

The website reports that the singer’s doctor barred the Grammy winner from flying because of acute bronchitis. The performance was part of a fundraiser for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

On Friday, Rihanna stepped out to promote the launch of her new fragrance Reb’l Fleur at the Macy’s department store at Lakewood Mall in Lakewood, California.

Perhaps Rihanna is just taking a day to relax before her big performance Sunday at the 2011 NBA All-Star game at Staples Center in Los Angeles. According to NBA.com she’s scheduled to perform live during halftime.

So, she can go to LA, but not Palm Beach? I bet the Donald won’t be happy when he hears this. And maybe Rihanna was just overbooked and fighting the sickness because she couldn’t get out of today. What do you think really happened?

Photos via WENN

Christina is even rumored to have asked for the lyrics to be put on the teleprompters – just in case.

Of course, after the Super Bowl national anthem debacle, all eyes and ears will be on Christina Aguilera at the Grammys, where she’ll reportedly sing Franklin’s “Ain’t No Way.” Aguilera, will share the stage with four other vocal divas: Grammy winners Yolanda Adams, Martina McBride and Jennifer Hudson, plus newly-Grammy-nominated frontwoman for Florence and the Machine, Florence Welch.

Hudson couldn’t hold back her excitement about the performance.

“Rehearsals are going, and went, very well,” she told MTV News, after the quintet’s run-through of solos and group efforts. Their medley will reportedly open with all five singing ‘Natural Woman,’ and finish with everyone belting ‘Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves.’

Hopefully Christina can nail this performance and she can get the past behind her. And then everyone else can move on too. Are you watching the Grammys tonight?

Photos via WENN

Despite a thriving career, Hudson has been dealing with a shocking family tragic. Hudson lost her mother, her brother and her 7-year-old nephew in late 2008; the three family members were all shot to death by Hudson‘s sister Julia’s estranged husband, William Balfour.

Jennifer opened up to Oprah in February, 2011 for the first time about the family tragic, she tearfully said:

“My mother would be saying to me, ‘Stop crying, why are you always crying?’ or my brother telling me ‘Jenny knock it off you gotta keep going.’” “The only thing I can do to honor them is to make them proud.”

Certain things we would never get over in life but we still have to carry on and be strong.

Jennifer has recently dropped over 80 pounds and she looks absolutely amazing. Despite the family tragic she’s gone through, she was able to pull herself together the best she could and the new Jen looks better than ever.

We’re sure your family is looking at you from Heaven and are all proud of you just like us, Jen!

Birth name: Jennifer Hudson; born September 12, 1981 in Chicago, Illinois; Zodiac sign: Virgo

Click here to view photos and get the latest entertainment news on all your favorite celebrities

image via WENN

Hudson who performed “I Will Always Love You” and “I Tell You I’m Not Going”, posed for the magazine’s September cover. Hudson is a Chicago native. We all know

After slimming down from a size 16 to a size 6, Hudson thinks her body is perfect just where it is.

Hudson told InStyle Makeover magazine via NY Post : “I don’t want to lose any more weight, and you’re never going to see me skinny,”  “I think this is a good, natural size for me.”

Don’t forget Hudson only gave birth to her son, David August, 2009. Bravo woman! Now that our Canadian Fatsgiving Thanksgiving is out of the way, gotta get on with a diet before Christmas!

photos: Fame

more Jennifer Hudson after the hop…

In fact, she was so traumatized by the events she says its “all a blur” now.

“It’s all a blur, it was surreal. It was like I was outside of myself. For almost two weeks straight . . . [I was] inside one room with just family and friends coming in and out. I prayed when I’d get up in the morning and prayed before I lay down at night. I was like, I have to get adjusted to who I am,” she said. “I can’t be another character if I don’t even know who I am.”

Jennifer opens up about the killings on a new VH-1 Behind The Music special, where she also credits the birth of her 11-month old son as helping her throught the crisis.

Photos: Bauer Griffin

more very slim Jennifer after the jump…

Hudson said to have lost close to 60 pounds since giving birth to son David in August and since joining Weight Watchers in January! Wow, that’s a lot of weight and a lot of determination! 

Hudson told E! Online as she hits the red carpet in Cannes “everything’s all ready to go.” That’s for her upcoming wedding!

Well done, Jennifer, you’re looking amazing!

What do you think of Jennifer’s new slim body?

photos: Fame