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Way before there was American Idol, The Voice, America’s Got Talent, and a myriad other reality talent and singing competition series, there was Star Search. The talent competition show, which aired from 1983 through to 1995 and was relaunched from 2003 to 2004, featured a diverse selection of people from across America showing off their talents, whether it was singing, dancing, or telling jokes.
Back at that time, if you were a young singer or a dance group looking to hit it big, Star Search was the show to try to get on. Not only could you win a big cash prize, but you could get great exposure, too.
Lots of contestants came and went, winning or losing in singing, dancing, spokesmodel, and comedy categories for both adults and juniors. And if you were to look back at archived episodes, there are a few faces you might recognize.
Alanis Morissette
This Canadian rocker defined a generation with her Jagged Little Pill album. And she was a successful pop singer before that who went only as Alanis. But even before, at the young age of 14, she was trying to make it big.
She didn’t win the show, despite her big ‘80s hair, beautiful smile, and killer voice. (What were they thinking?) While Morissette didn’t use this loss as an inspiration for her music, she did find great fuel from her later romantic relationships to inspire the music that made her a singing and songwriting icon.
Drew Carey
Now filling massive shoes as the host of The Price Is Right, succeeding longtime host Bob Barker, Carey previously had his own series The Drew Carey Show and hosted improv show Whose Line Is It Anyway?
But before he “made it,” he was just trying to get noticed, and appearing on Star Search seemed to be a good way to do it. It paid off as, even though he lost to a comedian named Joe Yannety, he got on The Tonight Show’s radar. At that time, Johnny Carson had the power to make careers with a single “good job” and handshake. Yannety later told ABC that he told Carey “I beat you by half a star and you beat me by half a billion dollars.”
Aaliyah
While her singing career was sadly cut short due to a tragic plane accident, Aaliyah did finally make it big as a famous R&B singer. But before her career took off, she was a young girl of 10 who sang the tune “Funny Valentine” on Star Search.
Like many others on this list, she lost. This time, it was to a young girl named Katrina Abrams who was a year older and went on to have her own mildly successful pop/dance career. Ironically enough, however, a year later, Aaliyah got the opportunity to perform with Gladys Knight and her rise to stardom began.
Brad Garrett
Star Search wasn’t just about singing. In the comedy category, some familiar faces tried out in their attempts to become the next discovered comedic talent. One such person was a curly-haired Brad Garrett, who competed in 1984.
He is one of the few winners of the show to actually go on to big success. His win got him a spot on The Tonight Show. He then had the opportunity to open for Frank Sinatra and Smokey Robinson. Later, he got his big acting break in the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond.
Britney Spears
Before she was known for catchy tunes like “(Hit Me Baby) One More Time” and “Womanizer,” Spears was a star on kids’ show The Mickey Mouse Club, a ‘90s revival of the popular ‘60s series. But at age 11, she competed on this reality competition series, singing “Love Can Build A Bridge.”
She made it to the second round but lost to a boy named Marty Thomas. While she told host Ed McMahon at the time that she didn’t have a boyfriend because they were “mean,” little did she know how many famous (and non-famous) boyfriends she would go on to have, and how her romantic life would be scrutinized by the media!
Christina Aguilera
Even back in 1990 at just 10 years old, Aguilera had a powerhouse of a voice. She put her vocal talents on full display on The Mickey Mouse Club a few years later. But that year, she performed “A Sunday Kind of Love” on the competition show.
Another massive pop star who didn’t win, she lost out to a 12-year-old boy named Christopher Eason who is reportedly still pursuing music while working as a barista. She seemed embarrassed by her loss when Jay Leno showed her a clip of the performance in an interview. But really, Christina, you won in the end.
Justin Timberlake
Decked out with his country cowboy hat and oversized belt buckle, Timberlake was as adorable back then as he was when he joined NSYNC and became a bona fide heartthrob. At just 11, he sang “Love’s Got A Hold On You” on the show in 1993.
Going by the name Justin Randall, he lost to a girl named Anna Nardona who, according to ABC, was working as a preschool daycare center when they caught up with her in 2001. She apparently didn’t even realize it was the J.T. who she won against until she was contacted for a VH1 flashback special. Like Aguilera and Spears, Timberlake ended up securing a gig on The Mickey Mouse Club, then teaming up with fellow castmate JC Chasez to form NSYNC shortly after. And today? He’s a successful solo R&B singer, dancer, actor, and producer.
Martin Lawrence
Known today for his sitcom Martin and the Bad Boys movies, in which he stars opposite Will Smith (both of whom will reprise their roles for the newest film), Lawrence, like any other, was a struggling comedian before he was a successful one.
He competed in the stand-up comedy category on the show and made it all the way to the finals. But sadly, he didn’t win. He did, however, get Hollywood’s attention and ended up securing a job on What’s Happening Now!! and that helped kickstart his long and successful career.
Rosie O’Donnell
At 20 years old, O’Donnell was working in a comedy club in Long Island, NY when who appeared to be a scout for the show approached her and encouraged her to audition. The woman was actually the host Ed McMahon’s daughter!
O’Donnel did incredibly well on the show, winning round after round, beating out all the competition. The exposure certainly helped her career, as she went on to co-host The View and her own talk show The Rosie O’Donnell Show, and continued with her successful stand-up comedy career.
Beyonce
Even back then, she was a little diva. A young Beyonce appeared on the show with her girl group called Girl Tyme. They ended up losing to a rock band, Skeleton Crew.
There’s no word on what happened to Skeleton Crew. But as far as Beyonce goes, the loss didn’t impact her career because she went on to form Destiny’s Child then become a mega solo superstar known as Queen Bey. However, she says she learned an important lesson from appearing on the show about how hard work doesn’t always guarantee you a win. Thankfully, she didn’t let the loss get her down and she kept going.