Jennifer Hudson is the debut studio album by American singer and actress Jennifer Hudson. It was first released in Australia, and it physically released in North America on September 30, 2008, by Arista and J Records. Hudson worked with several producers and songwriters on the album, including R. City, Missy Elliott, Brian Kennedy, Ne-Yo, Salaam Remi, T-Pain, Tank, Timbaland and The Underdogs, among others.

Three singles were released; it was led by "Spotlight", which peaked atop Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100, and entered the top 20 of the UK Singles Chart. Jennifer Hudson debuted at number two on both the US Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, with first-week sales of 217,000 copies. It has since received gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Hudson promoted the album in numerous live appearances; including co-heading a North American concert tour with Robin Thicke, from March to May 2009. Hudson won three NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding New Artist, Outstanding Album and Outstanding Duo or Group for the album, and was nominated for four Grammy Awards, winning for Best R&B Album. A deluxe edition was released to iTunes on February 24, 2009.

In January 2002, Hudson signed her first recording contract with Righteous Records, a Chicago-based independent record label. In 2004, she was released from her five-year contract so that she could audition for the third season of American Idol in Atlanta. As a finalist, Hudson received the highest number of votes in the Top 9 after her performance of Elton John's "Circle of Life" on April 6, 2004, but two weeks later she was eliminated after performing Barry Manilow's "Weekend in New England", coming in seventh place.

In November 2005, Hudson was cast in the role of Effie White for the film adaptation of the musical Dreamgirls. The filmmakers insisted on casting a relative unknown in the role, paralleling the casting of then-24-year-old Jennifer Holliday in that role for the original Broadway production. 783 singing actresses auditioned for the role of Effie White. Hudson was selected to play Effie, leading Fantasia Barrino to telephone her and jokingly complain that she "stole [Barrino's] part". Her performance earned several prizes, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Hudson won particular praise for her show-stopping onscreen rendition of the hit song, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", the signature song of the role. Her rendition entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 98 in the January 13, 2007, issue and was Hudson's first top ten hit on the Billboard Hot Adult R&B Airplay chart on February 24, 2007.

In September 2006, Hudson performed the song "Over It" live on Fox Chicago Morning News. In the interview, she said that the song would be included on her first album, to be released in early 2007; this was before she had been signed to a record label. In late November 2006, it was announced that Hudson has signed a recording contract with J Records, a label of the Sony BMG music conglomerate. Hudson spoke to Access Hollywood at the 2006 A Fine Romance event in Hollywood, exclaiming,: "My album, I'll be recording my album! I just signed my record deal two weeks ago. So I'm starting on that in January."

The first single, "Spotlight", written and produced by Ne-Yo and Stargate, was played on US radio on June 9, 2008, and the following day was available as a music download. The song peaked at number twenty-four on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, spending two consecutive weeks on top. In September 2008, "Spotlight" reached number eleven on the UK Singles Chart and peaked at number one on UK Airplay Chart.

The second single, "If This Isn't Love", was released on February 24, 2009. "My Heart" was originally scheduled as the second single and was due for an October 2008 release, but when her family murders occurred, Hudson rescheduled the release to January 2009. The single was then changed to "If This Isn't Love". On the charts, the track reached number five of the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and the top forty of the UK Singles Chart. "If This Isn't Love" had a second consecutive week at number one on the Urban Adult Radio Charts, Hudson thus joining a group of only five other women in urban adult history to reach this accomplishment.