celebrities
jennifer hudson headed towards Vatican For a special performance with Pope Leo XIV. The EGOT winner will headline the Seventh Concert for the Poor on December 5, bringing music and solidarity to thousands of people. Hudson’s appearance carries a hometown connection, as both she and Pontiff grew up in Chicago.
Organizers announced that Hudson will take the stage in the Paul VI Audience Hall with the Nova Opera Orchestra, consisting of more than 70 musicians. They will also be accompanied by a 200-member contingent from the Diocese of Rome, with Monsignor Marco Frisina leading the artistic direction.
Jennifer Hudson headlines seventh concert with the poor
The Nova Opera Foundation hosts the annual concert. Its mission focuses on transforming music into a “gift of hope” through compassion, solidarity and shared humanity. Organizers planned to invite at least 3,000 people experiencing poverty and hardship to sit in the front section of the hall.
Hudson called the invitation “such an honor.” Video announcement. He followed Michael Bublé, who presided over the 2025 concert and described it as one of the most important days of his life. Bublé brought his friend Carson Daly, who also met with the Pope. Daly encouraged Hudson, writing, “I went last year! It’s so amazing and what an incredible choice Jehood is! If you can go, go!” Kristin Chenoweth celebrated the news with heart and applause emojis.
The Chicago connection made the booking especially meaningful for fans. Hudson was born in September 1981, the youngest of 27 siblings. In a 2019 interview Guardian, He remembered that he had 11 sisters and 16 brothers. She also revealed that her father Sam was found with her sister when she was 15 years old. He moved in with the family but died when Hudson was 16.
Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, arrived in 1955 and grew up on Chicago’s South Side. PBS. He becomes the first American to lead the Catholic Church in 2025. Before reaching the papacy, he earned a Master of Divinity from the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago.