Clay Aiken Says His Son Won’t Follow in His Musical Footsteps: ‘He’s a Typical Teen’

When “American Idol” star Clay Aiken, who was runner-up to winner Ruben Studdard on the show’s second season, isn’t on tour, the famous crooner is immersed in dad life at home in Raleigh, North Carolina.

With Parker Foster Aiken’s 16th birthday right around the corner — on August 8, 2024 — Clay has revealed in multiple interviews that he’s a “typical teen” who’s “embarrassed” by his dad and has no plans to follow in his footsteps.

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‘American Idol’ Alum Clay Aiken Says Son’s Musical Family Hasn’t Influenced Him to Go Into Performing

Five years after skyrocketing to fame on “Idol,” Clay announced on his website that he became a first-time dad on August 8, 2008, according to People. Several months prior, the outlet reported, it was confirmed that the baby’s mom was music producer Jaymes Foster, who became pregnant at age 50 via in vitro fertilization and planned to co-parent Parker with Clay.

Jaymes, a music producer like her brother, famed hitmaker David Foster, told People the following month that, as close friends who both longed to be parents, she and Clay decided to embark on the parenting adventure together.

“On a larger scale, he’s the perfect person,” she told the magazine. “He’s been a school teacher, we have the same morals, family is very important to him and Parker means everything to us.”

But the musical influences Parker has in his mom, dad, uncle and aunt — given that David, a 16-time Grammy winner, is married to season 5 “Idol” winner Katharine McPhee — has not swayed the teen to follow in any of their footsteps, Clay told E! News in May.

“He’s chosen a different path,” Clay told the outlet. “He has something else he wants to do with his life. And I’m excited for him.”

But if he ever changes his mind or even wants to audition for “Idol,” Clay said he’ll have plenty of cheerleaders, including a pseudo-uncle in Studdard, with whom Clay remains very close.

“My son’s got a lot of not only music, but ‘Idol’ in his veins,” Clay told E! News. “His uncle is David Foster, the producer. So his aunt is Katharine McPhee. So Parker has got a dad and an aunt, and with Ruben an uncle who all were on ‘American Idol.’ But he wanted to do something else. Had he wanted to sign up? Sure. I mean, I think that’s what you’re supposed to do is support whatever they want to do.”

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Clay Aiken Says His Teen Son Isn’t Impressed by His Fame

During an appearance on the “Open House Party” podcast in April 2023, Clay said Parker had rarely seen him perform live, because he hadn’t joined him on tour since he was four. And as an easily-embarrassed teen, Clay said, he’s wholly unimpressed with his dad’s fame.

“(He) understands it only because his friends understand it,” Clay said. “He doesn’t care that much, but he’s also embarrassed by it. He cares enough when his friends talk about it … when I asked if he wanted to bring any of his friends to the show, he said, ‘No, that’s embarrassing.’ So he’s a typical teenager!”

In January, Clay told the Star Tribune that Parker thinks Studdard — whom he calls “Uncle Ruben” — is a lot cooler than he is.

“The tour came through Raleigh back in the spring and after the show I had friends and family milling around,” Clay recalled. “Afterward, I had four different people send me a photo of Ruben and Parker together. Ruben had his hand on Parker’s shoulder. They had this really serious conversation. You can just see in Parker’s eyes that he was listening to what Uncle Ruben was telling him and he was taking it to heart.”

Clay told the paper that “Ruben has been an uncle figure who he can ask for advice,” joking, “God help us one day Olivier (Ruben’s preschool-aged son) will ask me for advice!”

Studdard, who has two young children, told the Star Tribune that he’s enjoyed witnessing Clay as a parent over the years, and watching him grow into the role.

“I’ve seen him in his co-parenting role,” he said. “I know he tripped and stumbled a couple of times but he does it with grace and good character. He has a good heart. I know his son appreciates that.”

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