Sassy, vulnerable, obnoxious, dramatic, romantic, spiritual – these are all words used to describe Oscar-winning actress and show-stealing vocalist Jennifer Hudson. In fact, they are all words the 26 year-old wonder uses to describe herself! All of those shades of her personality and more are on vivid aural display on her eagerly anticipated and long delayed self titled debut album, Jennifer Hudson on Arista Records - the same company that introduced one of Jennifer's most highly influential performers Whitney Houston to the world in the '80s. Ms. Hudson has taken her time to offer fans an album that she intends to help the world get to know the real Jennifer a whole lot better.

That process began with the first single/video "Spotlight," one of two co-produced and co-composed by the hit-making matchup of Stargate and Ne-Yo (the other is titled "Can't Stop the Rain"). There's a much anticipated match-up with fellow American Idol alumnus Fantasia titled "I'm His Only Woman" (produced by Jack Splash and Plantlife with assist from Missy Elliott) as well as a duet with the inescapable T-Pain (who also penned and produced the song) titled "What's Wrong (Go Away)." But that's not all for the men. Jennifer also sings strong new songs written for her by singer Tank ("We Gon' Fight" a me and you against the world love song in which Jennifer tells all naysayers to keep their negativity concerning her love life to themselves) as well as Robin Thicke ("Giving Myself"). The Underdogs (Harvey Mason Jr. and Damon Thomas who composed and produced the new music for Dreamgirls the movie) have their girl's back with the illuminating "Invisible." Million dollar pop songwriter Diane Warren came through with "You Pulled Me Through" while R&B power hitter Polow Da Don hit her off with "My Heart." Closing out the album are a reprise of the Dreamgirls golden moment "And I Am Telling You (I'm Not Going)" and "Jesus Promised Me a Home Over There" (produced by Warryn Campbell).

Jennifer Hudson brings a deep love for singing that started during her formative years in Chicago. "My first influence was my grandmother (Julia Kate Hudson) and my earliest memory of singing publicly was at seven when I sang my first solo in church," Jennifer recalls. "Then, four years later I sang at my great-grandmother's 90th birthday and the members of my family were like, 'she doesn't sound like a little girl!' I didn't realize what I could do. Before that I used to walk around the house imitating Brandy and groups like Xscape and Jade. But Whitney was always there from when I was a child. I used to create little duets with her on 'I Will Always Love You,'" Jennifer recalls.

Inevitably, Jennifer found herself in local talent contests and she became known as the "school singer" during her teens. Her innate ability to feel a song was further enhanced by listening to singers like Aretha Franklin, Patti Labelle and she notes, "Especially Gladys Knight. I realized that a song has to be something I can feel for me to be able to sing it. How am I gonna move you if I'm not moved by the song I'm singing?"

Jennifer's first professional role came with a local production of the musical Big River when she was nineteen. In 2002, she landed a job with the Disney Wonder cruise ship, showcasing her four-octave vocal range before thousands of vacationers. But it was her exposure during the third season of TV's American Idol in 2004 that introduced Jennifer Hudson to a nation duly impressed with her potent soulfulness. It took a couple of songs for Jennifer to make it in the pre-show auditions: "I flew to Atlanta, slept in the big Georgia Dome and the first time I had to sing while others were auditioning too. They wanted an original song but I didn't have one so I did this kinda obscure song, "This Empty Place" that I first heard performed by Cissy Houston. Then, the judges wanted to hear something they knew so I did Celine Dion's "Power of Love" and then "Survivor" by Destiny's Child." The rest is history. After Idol, Jennifer auditioned for the part of "Effie" in Dreamgirls, beat out thousands of contenders for the coveted role and went on to win an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (2006). And she sang the National Anthem at this year's Democratic National Convention.

Urban Network Music Editor A. Scott Galloway caught up with Ms. Hudson for a quickie chat just before she was to take the stage in San Francisco to perform at the hot venue Ruby Sky in reparation for the September 30 release of her album.

Q: Fans have been waiting long time for you to complete your first album, Jennifer. What were your greatest concerns regarding its completion?

A: I wanted the project to introduce me by showcasing my versatility as a vocalist. I feel like I've been singing in character up to this point. On American Idol I was singing cover tunes and in Dreamgirls as "Effie" I was singing in character. Now I get a chance to discover my own artistry.

Q: I understand you write, too. What themes did you want to convey lyrically in your songs?

A: I do write but I didn't write anything on this first album. I just guided the subject matter of the songs. I remember when Ne-Yo was doing 'Spotlight,' I asked him, "Does every song have to be about a relationship? I'm sure there are other social issues that people can relate to." Even though that song does deal with an area of relationships, it comes at it from a different angle. I see it as about self-empowerment.

Q: Did each writer custom make the songs for you or was your A&R process more about listening to submitted songs and deciding whether they fit you or not?

A: A little of both. Like with "Pocketbook" (produced by Timbaland and Jim Beanz, and featuring fellow music star and actor Ludacris), once the writers got a chance to meet me, they came back the next day and said, "Now that we've gotten a sense of your personality, we came up with this." It's a sassy kind of song that definitely sounds like something I would say! It has attitude yet it's playful.

"Invisible" was produced by The Characters who wrote the score of Dreamgirls, so they've played a major part in my journey. They told me "After watching you, we feel like this song tells your story." 'Invisible' is about me deciding to be independent and assert my own voice.

Q: What was it like working with a fellow singer/writer like Robin Thicke on "Giving Myself?"

A: Oh, God, the best! He's such a true musician. I really enjoyed working with him. He hit it right on the head and told me, "This is the kind of song you need." He'd already written it, but it's about how when I fall in love with you, I'm going to be the perfect fit.

Q: What was it like recording with Fantasia?

A: It was a whole journey just finding the right person to sing the other part of that song. I don't know what the deal was with that, but it took a while. Finally we decided that Fantasia would do the song with me, but we were never in the studio at the same time. I'm so glad she did it, though, because she was one of the people I was really hoping to sing with.

Q: There is footage on YouTube of you and Fantasia singing at this year's "Taste of Chicago."

A: I was there to support her. Fantasia always loves to call you up on the stage. Plus it was in my hometown, so that was fun.

Q: Chicago is such an incredible city for music historically. What was the scene like there as you were coming up?

A: I don't get to be there as much as I used to, but I used to perform a lot at The Click. The Cotton Club was another hot spot that used to host talent shows. Isaac Hayes also had a restaurant there where you could sing, but I don't think it's there anymore. I never saw Mr. Hayes there, but I won a talent show there and was later introduced to Kanye' West as a producer.

Q: What albums in your personal collection do you consider to classics?

A: I have to check in my iTunes for that. Ask me another question while I look.

Q: O.K., you're coming up in an era where people can watch you do something at eight o'clock and be blogging or making public comments about you at 8:05. Do you keep up with things like the comments make about your videos on YouTube for instance?

A: Actually I do. I get on line a lot and get fussed at by my people for doing that. But I like to read the comments. I was just looking at my performance of something and reading what was said...

Q: How do you deal with it?

A: It depends. I find it odd when somebody is always watching my videos and making negative comments. I think, "Why are you even watching if you're not a fan?" In a way I consider haters fans, too. It's like they instinctively look for you just to critique and criticize. That's putting just as much energy into it as a fan, so I consider them a fan.

O.K, I've got some favorite albums for you now! I like the Musiq Soulchild album with "Love" on it (Aijuswanaseing - 2000). Chaka Khan's latest album I love (Funk This - 2007). Let's see, who else. Fantasia's last album was very nice (Fantasia – 2006). I'm gonna be mad at myself later, like, 'I should have said such and such." I loved the Xscape album with "Understanding" (sings the hook) (Hummin Comin' at 'Cha – 1993), and every CD India.Arie has ever done. I can listen to them all from beginning to end, but my favorite is Acoustic Soul (2001)...the one with "Brown Skin" on it.

Q: Fans saw you last summer in Sex and the City, for which she also sang the featured number "All Dressed in Love" But come October 17, we'll see you in a '60s period ensemble movie called The Secret Life of Bees. Tell us about your role and what it was like working with that all-star cast.

A: I play "Rosemary" who is the nanny of a girl named "Lilly." They run away together and try to figure out the secret to Lilly's past. It was an honor to work with Queen Latifah who I've always admired. I was also rooting for Alicia Keys to get her role. I was cast before her and wanted to work with her whether we did music or a film together. I also enjoyed working with Sophie Okonedo, and Dakota Fanning is an amazing actress. I call her "Mama Dakota" because there's nothing she doesn't know. She's much younger than me in age but in experience she's older. You can ask her anything and she has the answer. You're like, "Wow!" She's 14 but extremely smart. We were all just together for the premier at the Toronto Film Festival which was nice.

Q: So, where is your Oscar?

A: It is at home, displayed on its own special mantel, it lights up and it sings (holds a note like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir), "Awwwwwww!" I have 28 other awards in the same room. The Golden Globe is going to have its own spot, too. I just haven't figured out where that's going to be yet.

Q: Were you completely shocked when you won that Oscar?

A: I was. When the category came up, I was giving myself a little pep talk like, "Girl, you did a good job coming this far," which I didn't even expect to happen. Then when they called my name I thought, "Nobody else heard that but you, girl, so just stay in your seat!" (laughs)

Q: Do you think it will be hard to have another film experience as dynamic as that one was for you?

A: It's not every day that a character like "Effie" comes along and I am very grateful to have done it. It was a special role, but I think there are other great projects out there. I'm hopeful.

Q: What are you looking forward to most when you album comes out?

A: I can't wait to meet the fans. That's what it's all about to me. I always said when I got to this point I wanted to have a relationship with them. The next best thing would be performing.

Q: How do you want people to feel about Jennifer Hudson after they hear your debut album?

A: I want them to know me. I'm always compared to Aretha, Patti, Whitney or Jennifer Holliday. I want them to say this is Jennifer Hudson - an artist in her own right. I admire and love all of those ladies dearly. I just want people to say my name in the same breath as theirs without it being a comparison, but recognizing me for me.