AP Photo
Jennifer Hudson, the American Idol-contestant-turned-Oscar-winner, will sing at Tuesday’s state dinner at the White House, according to her label. Hudson, who like the Obamas hails from Chicago, also performed at the Democratic National Convention in Denver last year. The singer has maintained a somewhat lowered profile since the murders of her mother, brother, and nephew in 2008, but she'll be fully in the spotlight with this gig, performing in front of a crowd including former DreamWorks partners Steven Spielberg, David Geffen, and Jeffrey Katzenberg; Sony Pictures chair Michael Lynton; super-agent Ari Emanuel; director M. Night Shyamalan and actor Kal Penn—not to mention the guest of honor, Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. The event is the Obamas' first state dinner in the White House.