After losing over 100 pounds, drag queen and “American Idol” season 16 finalist Ada Vox is celebrating a trimmed-down figure and the motivation to keep going. The powerhouse singer, whose birth name is Adam Sanders, competed on “American Idol” as Ada Vox, and became the first drag queen to crack the show’s Top 10.
In a social media post on October 23, 2025, the vocalist, out of drag, shared side-by-side bare-chested mirror selfies to reveal the impressive difference and wrote, “Weightloss progress update ♥️ I haven’t been posting much lately, as life has been CRAZYYY in every way you can imagine… but I’m still on this journey! I know a lot of you have been following along, and many while being on your own journeys as well.”
Fans & Friends Cheer On Ava Vox, Who Weighed Nearly 400 Pounds at Start of Her Journey
The post continued, “Not sure what the number on the scale is right now, but my eyes are what is showing me the progress I’ve been working towards. 😊 Here’s to being able to sing for many, many more years for/with all of you ♥️”
In May, Vox posted similar side-by-side photos — along with screenshots of cruel comments people had left about her weight — and wrote above, “100 lbs down and STILL going.”
Vox posted her first side-by-side comparison in March, writing, “From just under 400lbs to now almost dipping under 300! I was talking with @markladuke yesterday about my progress & how I personally didn’t feel like I was seeing results, but then I took this picture this morning and put it next to my before, and NOW I see it”
Ada Vox Has Received Lots of Support Via Social Media for Weight Loss Journey
Vox’s latest update drew over a thousand likes and many encouraging comments from fans and friends, including a friend who wrote, “Literally not only in work ethic but in the gym the most driven hard working person I seen push themselves! I was running out of breathe to keep up!”
Someone else commented, “You look beautiful no matter what, but it is good that you are in a healthier lifestyle, I lost 15 pounds myself and feel much better 👍🏽💖”
“Look at YOU,” another supporter wrote. “All of your hard work is paying off. I’m so proud of the decision to make this journey public. It’s a very humbling and healing process. Brava! ❤️”
Ada Vox is a Cheerleader & Mentor for Other Reality Show Contestants
GettyWhile competing on “American Idol” in 2018, Vox told The Advocate that she’d auditioned for the show 13 times, but finally got far enough to wow judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie, who declared “a star is born” at the end of her audition.
Several years before, in season 12, tried to audition out of drag, as Adam Sanders, but stepping into her drag queen persona gave the singer more confidence, she told The Advocate.
Since Vox’s 2018 climb on “American Idol,” she keeps a busy schedule performing around the country, including a gig in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on October 25.
Vox is also a vocal online cheerleader for many contestants on “American Idol” and other reality shows, often seen sticking up for them on social media and encouraging them with glowing comments.
