Jennifer Hudson feels "blessed" as she was nominated for Grammy on her late mother's birthday

Washington DC [US], November 11 : Jennifer Hudson's 2024 album, 'The Gift of Love', was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for the 2026 Grammy Awards. This marks Hudson's ninth Grammy nomination and her first in the pop album category. She spoke about the nomination and said that she feels "blessed" about it, according to People.

"I'm still living a dream, it's blessed me," Hudson said. "I'm a holiday fanatic, so to be able to be acknowledged in that way with the album ... that is just so dear to my heart, is beyond a dream."

"And it was on my late mother's birthday as well, which made it even more special," she added.

Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, was murdered in October 2008 in a fatal shooting in Chicago. Hudson's brother-in-law at the time, William Balfour, was the gunman and killed Hudson's mother, her brother Jason Hudson and her 7-year-old nephew Julian, the son of his estranged wife, Hudson's sister Julia. Balfour is serving life in prison for the murders, according to People.

Hudson shared that the "project that was done with heart". The album, released in October 2024, is the singer's first holiday album and her first record in 10 years.

So far, Hudson has won two Grammy Awards. In 2017, Hudson, alongside the original cast of The Color Purple's Broadway revival, won Best Musical Theatre Album.

At the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in 2009, Hudson took home the Grammy for Best R&B Album for her self-titled debut album.

This year's Hall of Fame inductees are Cyndi Lauper, the White Stripes, OutKast, Soundgarden, Bad Company, Chubby Checker and Joe Cocker. Warren Zevon and Salt-N-Pepa received the Musical Influence Award, according to People.

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