In June 2023, Just Sam, real name Samantha Diaz, opened up about how winning Idol didn't lead to the fortune and fame they'd imagined.

"I was like, 'That's it, me and my mother will never experience the same struggles again.' And really, that's not what it was," Sam told TMZ. "It was also difficult because I was the only American Idol in history to win at the beginning of COVID, and everything was shut down."

Indeed, since no one wanted to record live in studio, Sam actually went back to singing in subways to make ends meet, and lived in a hotel.

Sam also told TMZ about signing contracts, "I definitely know now I have to read more. Contracts are something serious. I was just like, OK, yes, and just signing things, and that's not how it goes. You can't just move like that. It leaves you in sticky situations. That's one thing that I learned."