Los Angeles - Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson is to release her first solo album in September with her first single, Spotlight, hitting the radio in June.

Hudson, a former competitor on American Idol, was plucked from obscurity to win a supporting actress Oscar for her role in the musical Dreamgirls but has yet to taste direct success in the music world.

"I'm beyond ecstatic about my new album," said Hudson, who also appears in the Sex and the City movie. "I think people will be pleasantly surprised because it shows a side of my work that no one has heard before."

Contributing to the new album are Ne-Yo, Robin Thicke, Timbaland and power ballad songwriter Diane Warren, all of whom worked on the album. (dpa)