The champ and runner-up on “American Idol” have rarely made a viable musical entity together. Remember the Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini movie (“From Justin to Kelly”) featuring the first Idols? Maybe you do because it was such a rotten tomato. Studdard and Aiken, the winner and runner-up from Season 2 (2003), have somehow transcended their differences and remained friends and touring partners, including a Christmas show that landed on Broadway. Studdard has been a steady presence on the R&B and gospel scenes; in 2023, he released “The Way I Remember It,” his first collection of original material since 2014. Pop-inclined Aiken hasn’t issued an album since 2012 but he’s been active in other areas, including twice running for Congress unsuccessfully in North Carolina. (STAR TRIBUNE)