Jennifer Hudson was put in the spotlight on Friday’s “20/20.” The iron-piped songstress, whose sophomore album I Remember Me arrives next week, spoke about her journey from singing in church at the age of seven to being booted from “American Idol” to her Oscar-winning performance in Dreamgirls.

She also opened up about surviving the heartbreaking tragedy that struck her family in 2008, when her mother, brother, and nephew were murdered. “God is what I feel certain about. No matter what he’s always there—always,” shared an emotional Jennifer. “I feel like that is the greatest gift that my mother—that no money, no fame, no nothing could give you at all. I could not and would not be sitting here right now this happy.”

These days she is enjoying life with her husband David Otunga and son David Daniel Otunga Jr., whom she calls her “munchkabunch.” “He’s so sweet. He loves to dance, he loves music,” she said. “If my [Weight Watchers] commercial comes on he tells me, ‘Mama, that’s my mama!'”

Despite all she’s been through, J-Hud has still managed to find her joy. “I have the greatest sadness to be sad over, but then look at the joy that I have too.”