Golden Globe winning Academy Award nominee Jennifer Hudson slams the talent series that introduced her to mass media as “abusive” in the March issue of Essence.

“On American Idol, you go through this mental thing; you’ve got to get yourself back together. You’ve been abused, misled and brainwashed to believe whatever they want you to think,” J Hud says.

“You become a character – I became the girl in the turkey wrapping. I just knew I had to sing my way out of it. I don’t believe in looking back, and I didn’t look back.”