In this Oct. 6, 2008 photo, Jennifer Hudson poses at the premiere of the film "The Secret Life of Bees" at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, Calif. Hudson says she's honored to be a Grammy nominee.[Agencies]

Jennifer Hudson says she's honored to be a Grammy nominee. The Oscar-winning actress and singer, who has been in seclusion since the killings of her mother, brother and nephew, was nominated Wednesday for four Grammy awards for her self-titled debut album.

Says Hudson: "It's been a childhood dream of mine to release an album, so to receive four Grammy nominations is truly a blessing. I am extremely honored and humbled by the nominations."

The nominations came a day after her estranged brother-in-law, William Balfour, was formally charged with murder in the killings of Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson; her brother, Jason Hudson; and her 7-year-old nephew, Julian King.

Hudson has declined through a spokeswoman to speak about the arrest.

(Agencies/China Daily December 5, 2008)