Once a cruise ship entertainer, the singer has made the finals on American Idol, won a Best Supporting Oscar for Dreamgirls before, devastatingly, losing her mother, brother and nephew in a shocking murder.

"I've been through everything, from the bottom to the top," Hudson tells Insider, via phone, ahead of her first trip to Australia this weekend.

"Ever since American Idol, I've been on a roller-coaster that has not stopped - there's been ups and downs and all the way round and the world has been watching me go through it.

"At times, I feel as though I'm on the outside too, wondering what turns it's going to take, the ups and downs, and how I'm going to get through it."Despite all the turmoil, the mother of 21-month-old David Jr says music has been her saviour.

"It is my expression of me in every way, musically, personally, how I feel right now and everything. Music is my way of bottling it up and passing it along to somebody else."

Hudson admits her new album, I Remember Me, which features the tracks I Got This, Everybody Needs Love, Why Is It So Hard, Feeling Good and Believe, does reflect her life right now.

"It captures every part of me," she says. "Even I Remember Me, that's me personally, that's how I feel about my life and my journey and where I am today, and then Feeling Good is an expression of my weight-loss journey.

Overall it's just the vibe of me."Strength is also a common theme throughout the album - a trait she believes runs in her family.

"My mother was very strong and my sister, so I guess that's where it comes from."

Her strength was never more tested than when her mum Darnell Donnerson, brother Jason, and nephew Julian, 7, were shot dead in their Chicago home 2 1/2 years ago allegedly by her sister's estranged husband. Charged with the murders, he is awaiting trial.

She credits her strong nature, and the help of Weight Watchers, for driving her to lose nearly 40kg. "I do [feel sexy] and I always did," she says, laughing. "It's just like, the rest of the world is catching up. I always knew it was there. It's not new to me."

Hudson exercises daily, and is conscious of what she eats, but doesn't want to lose more weight. Despite being careful with food, she admits chocolate is her guilty pleasure.

"At this point, I don't really want to lose any more weight. I'm trying to shy away more from cardio and doing more cardio and training. So every morning, I get up and do four sets of 25 reps of crunches, of squats and, like, push-ups."

Her personal life is also flourishing with Hudson engaged to wrestler David Otunga, the father of her toddler son. The couple recently moved back to Chicago from Florida.

"When I'm on the road, I can't wait to go home and be mummy.

"He [David Jr] is such a blessing," Hudson says.

"I have never seen a baby have such an impact on the people he meets. There is never a dull moment. He keeps me happy, he keeps me uplifted and he keeps me smiling at all times."

Hudson flew into Melbourne yesterday to face a week packed with promotions, beginning tonight with an appearance on Dancing With The Stars.

Along with various radio interviews, she will also appear live on Seven's Sunrise on Thursday morning.

Her family remain in Chicago, as it's "a long way to travel".

"I've been excited [to come to Australia] since American Idol, and I've never been able to," the R&B-soul singer said.

"When I got the call, I was like, I don't care what's going on and I don't care what they want me to do, I am coming. So here I come."

"American Idol" alum turned Grammy and Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson, stops by "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on Thursday (Feb. 10) to share her weight loss success story, and of course, plug Weight Watchers.

It's easy to peg her success as the result of a paid sponsorship and access to personal trainers and chefs, but Hudson disagrees, saying the results are all mental.

"I've cooked all my meals at home, when I work out I do what I like to do, I don't believe in overdoing myself," she explains. "It's all about self motivation because at the end of the day you can have all the money and all the personal trainers in the world, but if you don't have that mindset it's not possible... You have to do it for yourself."

Joining Hudson in the audience is her Weight Watchers leader, Liz, who was adamant about not disclosing Hudson's weight.

Liz claims that people shouldn't obsess over the number of pounds, saying "You've got to do what feels good to you. Who cares about the number?"

After being asked multiple times to share her weight loss, and repeatedly saying that she wants to tell, but isn't allowed -- Hudson finally blurts out, "I've lost 80 pounds! I'm sorry, I had to do it."

The now size six singer then received a standing ovation from Oprah herself, and the audience.

She admits that getting used to her new body is definitely taking some adjusting, and that mentally she's not quite in sync with her new look.

"I'll go in the store, and I'll pick up the extra larges or the bigger sizes... or I'll even pick up a medium and they're like 'That's too big,' and I'm like 'For who?'" she says of her current shopping days. "It takes a while to get adjusted to it mentally, my mind still hasn't caught up yet."

Hudson also opened up for the first time about her 2008 family tragedy, and debuted her latest single.

"American Idol" alum turned Grammy and Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson, stops by "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on Thursday (Feb. 10) to share her weight loss success story, and of course, plug Weight Watchers.

It's easy to peg her success as the result of a paid sponsorship and access to personal trainers and chefs, but Hudson disagrees, saying the results are all mental.

"I've cooked all my meals at home, when I work out I do what I like to do, I don't believe in overdoing myself," she explains. "It's all about self motivation because at the end of the day you can have all the money and all the personal trainers in the world, but if you don't have that mindset it's not possible... You have to do it for yourself."

Joining Hudson in the audience is her Weight Watchers leader, Liz, who was adamant about not disclosing Hudson's weight.

Liz claims that people shouldn't obsess over the number of pounds, saying "You've got to do what feels good to you. Who cares about the number?"

After being asked multiple times to share her weight loss, and repeatedly saying that she wants to tell, but isn't allowed -- Hudson finally blurts out, "I've lost 80 pounds! I'm sorry, I had to do it."

The now size six singer then received a standing ovation from Oprah herself, and the audience.

She admits that getting used to her new body is definitely taking some adjusting, and that mentally she's not quite in sync with her new look.

"I'll go in the store, and I'll pick up the extra larges or the bigger sizes... or I'll even pick up a medium and they're like 'That's too big,' and I'm like 'For who?'" she says of her current shopping days. "It takes a while to get adjusted to it mentally, my mind still hasn't caught up yet."

Hudson also opened up for the first time about her 2008 family tragedy, and debuted her latest single.

Kate Hudson pregnant - that's the latest on the "Bride Wars" actress and her rocker boyfriend, Matt Bellamy. The couple are said to be expecting a baby.

"It was not planned, but they are excited and embracing it," a source confided to Us Weekly.

Hudson, 31, and Bellamy, 32, have been dating for about nine months.

It's the second child for Hudson and the first for Bellamy, lead singer of U.K. band Muse.

Meanwhile Hudson's father, Bill Hudson, is reportedly hoping to release a tell-all exposé about Goldie Hawn, his ex-wife and Kate Hudson's mother.

He was married to Hawn in 1976 and and they went on to have two children together.

Hudson opted-out of the marriage not long after daughter Kate's birth and has been estranged from Hawn and the kids ever since.

However, now he wants to have a relationship with them, says Page Six. It quotes Hudson's agent saying:

"What he really wants is a relationship with his children and he hopes this will help,"

Kate Hudson pregnant - that's the latest on the "Bride Wars" actress and her rocker boyfriend, Matt Bellamy. The couple are said to be expecting a baby.

"It was not planned, but they are excited and embracing it," a source confided to Us Weekly.

Hudson, 31, and Bellamy, 32, have been dating for about nine months.

It's the second child for Hudson and the first for Bellamy, lead singer of U.K. band Muse.

Meanwhile Hudson's father, Bill Hudson, is reportedly hoping to release a tell-all exposé about Goldie Hawn, his ex-wife and Kate Hudson's mother.

He was married to Hawn in 1976 and and they went on to have two children together.

Hudson opted-out of the marriage not long after daughter Kate's birth and has been estranged from Hawn and the kids ever since.

However, now he wants to have a relationship with them, says Page Six. It quotes Hudson's agent saying:

"What he really wants is a relationship with his children and he hopes this will help,"

Jennifer Hudson has signed on as the newest spokesperson for Weight Watchers after dropping a lot of weight after giving birth to her son David Daniel Otunga Jr. 7 months ago. The Academy Award winning actress, most known for her role as Effie in the 2006 Movie, Dreamgirls. She is really excited about working with Weight Watchers, which she credits for her multiple weight loss transformations. First from being "the big girl" on American Idol, from dropping the weight she gained playing Effie in Dreamgirls, and losing the 56 pounds of weight she gained during her pregnancy!

Everyone is looking for Jennifer Hudson Baby Pictures, but she has not made them public yet!

Jennifer Hudson has signed on as the newest spokesperson for Weight Watchers after dropping a lot of weight after giving birth to her son David Daniel Otunga Jr. 7 months ago. The Academy Award winning actress, most known for her role as Effie in the 2006 Movie, Dreamgirls. She is really excited about working with Weight Watchers, which she credits for her multiple weight loss transformations. First from being "the big girl" on American Idol, from dropping the weight she gained playing Effie in Dreamgirls, and losing the 56 pounds of weight she gained during her pregnancy!

Everyone is looking for Jennifer Hudson Baby Pictures, but she has not made them public yet!

People magazine has released the first photos of Jennifer Hudson and her new baby, born August 10th. The baby's name is David, named after her fiancé, David Ortega.

Of motherhood, Jennifer says, "I love being nurturing and caring because I love to see other people happy...Who better to devote my time to than my own child?"

This baby picture of Jennifer Hudson and her son is absolutely adorable. She looks beautiful as a mom.
Usually I'm not one to care about celebrity baby pictures, but little David is just too cute!

People magazine has released the first photos of Jennifer Hudson and her new baby, born August 10th. The baby's name is David, named after her fiancé, David Ortega.

Of motherhood, Jennifer says, "I love being nurturing and caring because I love to see other people happy...Who better to devote my time to than my own child?"

This baby picture of Jennifer Hudson and her son is absolutely adorable. She looks beautiful as a mom.
Usually I'm not one to care about celebrity baby pictures, but little David is just too cute!