R&B Singer Jordin Sparks Sidelined After Strained Vocal Cords
American Idol winner Jordin Sparks is resting at her Glendale home after strained vocal cords forced her to temporarily withdraw from a just-launched concert tour headlined by Grammy-winning R&B singer Alicia Keys. Sparks is suffering from a vocal hemorrhage, which must be treated with vocal rest to avoid more serious problems, according to her grandmother, Pam Weidmann, who guided Sparks' career from age 12 through her Idol win. "It's a huge disappointment, particularly since she was about to begin the tour with Alicia Keys and she had some major television appearances happening this week, including the Dove Awards (for Christian music)," Weidmann said. The 18-year-old singer, who won last season's Idol crown, is expected to make a full recovery, according to Wendy Washington, a representative for Sparks' label, 19 Entertainment/Jive Records. "Every artist at one point, from Celine Dion to Mariah Carey to Barbra Streisand" has suffered vocal strain, Washington said. Although the record label initially said all of Sparks' April activities would be postponed or canceled, Washington's office later revised that statement, saying Sparks was expected to return to the tour "shortly."