The Singing Competition Amber Riley Got Rejected By Before Glee

While Fox's hit musical dramedy "Glee" undoubtedly produced a number of successful musical artists throughout its run from 2009 to 2015, there may be some which stand out above others. Singer Amber Riley, for instance, may have been instantly recognized for her musical acumen. It is no surprise, then, that her strong and powerful voice took her to new levels since the end of "Glee's" run. 

In 2017, Riley joined a musical theater supergroup called Leading Ladies, whose debut album, "Songs from the Stage," was released in November of that year, and ranked in the top 20 of the UK Albums Chart. In 2020, she then embarked on her solo musical career and released her debut solo album, "RILEY" to much critical acclaim. 

Many fans of Riley's iconic sound may be surprised to learn that she was actually rejected from a famous singing competition before she rose to fame on "Glee." And she is not afraid to speak out about it. 

While Amber Riley rose to star status in 2009 while on "Glee," she had actually auditioned for another Fox musical series years before that: "American Idol." In 2009, she spoke to Access Online about the audition, which she said took place when she was 17, which would have been around the show's second or third season in 2003. "They told me, 'No,'" she said, adding that she didn't even get to meet the memorable judges at the time, as she had been rejected by the producers before she even had the chance to get to that round. However, given her success on "Glee," she unsurprisingly seemed to not be upset by the incident. "You know what?" she said, "I still work on Fox and I get paid! Thank you, 'American Idol!'"

In 2021, Riley seemed to feel the same, telling PopSugar that the rejection helped her deal with the reality of the entertainment business, which she would grow to become very familiar with in her later life. "I think it was still a great experience," she said, adding that she "needed that disappointment. I needed it to understand there's always someone working hard ... It helped me grow, to be honest." 

Once again, she thanked "American Idol" for the rejection. 

When it comes to how the "American Idol" judges at the time responded to Amber Riley's rejection (which they had no part in), one judge had plenty to say. In 2010, Randy Jackson shared with Extra just how impressed he was by Riley's vocal abilities on "Glee," while also expressing disappointment that he never got a chance to see her audition. "She's like ... the lead star of 'Glee' and let me tell you something America, this girl is talented and she can really sing," the former judge said at the time. However, Jackson added that he had no guilt on his conscience, saying, "I feel ok because she didn't make it to me. I didn't reject her." 

The same year, Riley garnered much attention when she and the rest of the "Glee" cast performed their signature "Don't Stop Believin'" on "The X Factor." The show was co-hosted at the time by infamous "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell, well-known for his scathing commentary on many of those who perform for him. During the performance, Riley sauntered over to Cowell and belted one of her signature high notes right in his face, an action which many interpreted as a comeback to her "Idol" rejection many years prior. Even as of 2021, the video continues to make rounds on Twitter, with former BBC journalist Michael Baggs calling it "the greatest 'X Factor' moment ever."