It’s been more than 20 years since Clay Aiken was named the runner-up of American Idol‘s second season in 2003. Now, he’s returning for the Season 24 finale on May 11 and will be performing alongside Braden Rumfelt, who was eliminated just one week before the Finals.

In the years since his time on the show, Aiken has continued to pursue his music career while also dabbling in acting, Broadway, and politics. Away from the spotlight, he also started a family, welcoming his son, Parker, in 2008.

Scroll down for everything we know about Aiken’s love life as he returns to television for an epic American Idol moment.

Is Clay Aiken in a relationship?

Aiken is not publicly in a relationship at this time. Back in December 2024, he confirmed his single status and admitted that he was OK with being alone.

“I just turned 46, and I have discovered I’m too old to change my ways for anybody,” the singer told People. “Unless I can find somebody who’s happy to sit on the other end of the couch and not talk for hours at a time, then I’m perfectly fine not having to deal with that.”

Aiken said that his “perfect soulmate” would be “perfectly happy to go for a full 24 hours in the same house, but not having to speak.”

In 2010 and 2011, Aiken was rumored to be in a relationship with theater actor Jeff Walters. He was also romantically linked to Reed Kelly, a Broadway dancer, from 2008 to 2010.

When did Clay Aiken come out?

Aiken came out as gay in 2008. He publicly opened up about his sexuality in an interview with People one month after welcoming a son.

“It was the first decision I made as a father,” Aiken explained. “I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things. I wasn’t raised that way, and I’m not going to raise a child to do that.”

Aiken was starring in Spamalot on Broadway at the time and later told People that he “lost maybe 50% of the fan base” the week the cover story came out. “It went from selling very well to the week after the cover came out, the ticket sales dropped. Spamalot ended up closing a few months after that,” he revealed.

Who did Clay Aiken have a baby with?

Aiken’s son, Parker, was born via in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in 2008. He shares the child with his female friend Jaymes Foster.

“It was one of those things where we were both thinking of it at the back of our heads,” Aiken explained. He and Foster were never romantically involved, but they decided they wanted to raise a child together.

American Idol, Season 24 Finale, Monday, May 11, 8/7c, ABC