The landscape of popular culture thrives on two aspects: the idea your favourite entertainers are genuinely having a good time, and that their happiness translates to the screen! No matter who we are and where our interests lie, it seems unanimous that the dream of pursuing a career as an entertainer seems like a faraway dream, and only those who have the "spark" are the ones who can create a successful road to superstardom.
In 2002, a show called American Idol changed the landscape of music and ushered in a new era of accessible entertainment. American Idol's premise revolved around making people's dreams come true, and those people were just like us! Kelly Clarkson, an aspiring singer from Texas, auditioned for the show, and successfully competed in the groundbreaking singing contest. Her title as the first American Idol changed not only her life but the music industry forever!
From the moment Kelly sang Madonna's "Express Yourself" for her audition song, she charmed the world with her own brand of expression; Kelly lived her life unapologetically, giving us a role model who taught us to embrace who we are and to trust our authentic selves no matter who or what tries to get in our way!
Since winning the 'Idol' title nearly two decades ago, Kelly has been one of the biggest names in entertainment, creating extremely catchy pop songs, and absolutely owning who she is and what she stands for in the constantly changing industry! Who is Kelly? Read on to find out!
21 She's Thrifty
Kelly's powerhouse voice wasn't the only attention-grabbing aspect of her American Idol audition! Yes, her sunny attitude and easygoing banter with the judges was obvious, but her outfit in all of its early 2000's denim glory completed and complemented Kelly's relatable personality!
If you've ever wanted to copy Kelly's look for a throwback party of your own, it's absolutely easy and the materials are accessible; Kelly would know because she made the outfit on her own. Her iconic creation was crafted from a simple pair of jeans, as Rolling Stone reports, which is the definition of being thrifty, making something "old" brand new.
20 Kelly, The Princess Of Pizza
Imagine hanging out at the mall and you're starving after a long day of shopping. You cruise up to the food court, and who do you see but none other than Kelly Clarkson, serving you a pizza slice with a side smile!
As if Kelly could be any more relatable, imagine finding out Kelly worked at a pizza establishment during her time off stage.
The future pop queen enjoyed her time behind the counter, too. Like many aspiring entertainers, Kelly exhibited the hustle needed to pursue her dreams!
Country Living reported Kelly saying, "I did anything that paid. I made any job work."
19 She's Allergic To Cosmetics
Is there a better quality in a role model than someone who believes you should embrace your natural self? It depends on who you ask, but Kelly's unabashedly strong love for living your life naturally is certainly admirable.
However, there might be another reason why Kelly prefers going without wearing makeup. The songstress is actually allergic to cosmetics, as she said in an interview with The New York Times, adding she only wears makeup when she has to.
18 Sia Is A Collaborator
When one vocal powerhouse admires another, ultimate goals for friendship and collaboration dreams are set! Of course, we know Kelly knows a quality vocalist when she hears one; she's a judge on The Voice. When Kelly heard the voice of a certain singer who specializes in beautiful power ballads and is famous for an iconic modern-day hairstyle, it's no surprise it was love at first listen!
Sia burst onto the music scene with her hits "Chandelier" and "Cheap Thrills," but she does quite a lot of work behind the scenes, too. She and Kelly worked together on Kelly's tune "Invincible," as Rolling Stone reports.
17 Her Hands-On Husband Is A Manager
There is so much to aim for when it comes to the perfect love: trust, loyalty, a dreamy wedding video, someone who makes an excellent partner and parent... and if you're Kelly Clarkson, someone who knows the business!
Kelly and her husband, Brandon Blackstock, have been photographed looking genuinely in love and giving us #relationshipgoals, and are a great example of a couple who genuinely enjoy each other's company in the midst of being in the spotlight.
Brandon and Kelly seem extremely close, and his extensive knowledge of the music business can't hurt! Blackstock's a manager whose clients include Blake Shelton, as Country Living reports.
16 Taylor Swift Is A Car Fave
Kelly Clarkson's music is so infectious, and her powerful vocal style makes it so easy for her songs to take a front seat for a car karaoke sing-a-long!
But what happens when a singer wants to have her own private concert in her car? She turns on the music of a fellow pop princess!
From the privacy of her own car, Kelly belts out the tunes of Taylor Swift! The two were fixtures on the radio back in the mid-aughts, and Taylor's music remains alive and well on the Clarkson stereo. Kelly praised 1989, and Taylor's song called "Clean," as Glamour reports.
15 She's A Night Owl
Many of us have spent a night out dancing to Kelly Clarkson's music. When it comes to Kelly herself, her relationship with the nightlife is much more mellow.
Kelly and her husband have a big and blended family, so it makes sense she has to make the most of the morning hours. Don't count on her to do it willingly!
She has been super candid about dealing with the necessary demand of the daily alarm, telling People in an interview,
"I love the night. I am a vampire."
Move over, Edward!
14 Kelly's A Little "Extra"
Living life as an actress requires many steps to superstardom and as fans, it's always fun and interesting to track our favourite celebrity's evolution from behind-the-scenes babes to the center of the spotlight!
Sabrina The Teenage Witch is legendary for countless reasons; the show propelled Melissa Joan Hart into teen idol status and many famous guest stars hung out with Sabrina and the gang.
Way before Kelly Clarkson had a "moment like this" in the spotlight, she made a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance in an episode of "Sabrina."
She scurried by Sabrina in the hallway, probably because she was late to class!
13 Her Daughter Likes A Certain Coldplay Singer
Kelly Clarkson's relationship with her four-year-old daughter, River Rose, is nothing short of sweet! Kelly has penned a children's book inspired by River and has passed along her love of reading to her daughter. When River is not thumbing through the dictionary, as Country Living reports her doing, she's beginning to learn a bit about music... specifically, she enjoys a band known for penning songs about colours!
Kelly revealed that her daughter has a huge crush on Coldplay's front-man, Chris Martin. "So my daughter wants to marry Chris Martin and is obsessed with his song Yellow,"
Kelly wrote on Twitter, as Country Living reports. Cute!
12 Kelly's A Talk-Show Queen
If you've ever watched an interview with Kelly Clarkson, she always appears so charismatic and down-to-earth. She also always holds such camaraderie with the interviewer, it's obvious she would do well if the roles were reversed!
Luckily for us, we'll soon have the chance to see Kelly behind the desk soon, because she will officially be the host of her own talkshow. Kelly knows her role as a talkshow host would be the perfect job for her.
When Kelly announced her plans, She Knows reports her as saying, "I love talking. It's kind of like my favourite past time, so..."
11 Kelly Loves Hockey
There's always something so attractive about seeing famous people having fun and embracing their downtime! Kelly Clarkson loves to make her downtime a family affair. She and her husband enjoy their time off by spending time on the ice. Kelly's been known to put on a jersey and cheer for her favourite hardworking hockey dudes!
Kelly's energetic and high energy tunes are a perfect soundtrack for sporting events, but Kelly herself brought all of her energy to the rink recently when she brought her son to watch a hockey game, as reported by Entertainment Tonight - even though he was only one year old at the time. She happily documented her experience on Twitter with a photo!
10 She's A Pro At Lip-Syncing
Kelly Clarkson has been vocal about being a supporter of family, from documenting her own to singing about her upbringing.
For one kid who was casually enjoying a sporting event, his mama picked out the perfect time to make him blush, and Kelly happened to be involved with the experience.
According to USA Today, a mother and son went viral when the mother decided to have a little fun belting out Kelly's song "Since U Been Gone" as she was captured on the big screen. Her son wasn't having it! Kelly responded to the video with a tweet in which she said, "This is my kind of mama."
9 She Carries Around A Cardboard Cutout
Meeting someone we admire can be a slippery slope. Some celebrity encounters are much sunnier than others. For Kelly, she met one of her idols, actress Meryl Streep, and the two were sweetly photographed on the red carpet, but the encounter didn't end there.
It turns out, Kelly owns a cardboard cutout of Meryl, as iHeart Radio reports. Now that's dedication. She's a total fangirl!
We get totally get it.
8 Steve Carell Is A Friend
Celebrity encounters are always the best, and it's even cooler when the two celebs have a special connection! Steve Carell, who you know from The Office and The 40-Year-Old Virgin, has said he admires Kelly's work. In fact, the above-mentioned movie even makes a mention of the Idols star.
Carell was worried about what Clarkson would think of him after he mentioned her in the movie.
But, when the two met she was really nice to him, he said. We have no doubt!
7 She Has A Story For The Books
No matter how famous you are, there's always someone who is more famous. Many entertainers get the opportunity to meet the President or other world leaders through big events which are sometimes televised.
When Kelly Clarkson met Obama, she accidentally mispronounced his name while introducing him to a live audience! Now, as Time reports, this happened when Obama was still relatively unknown. But still, that's totally awkward!
6 The "Queen Of Soul" Is An Influence
Kelly Clarkson could be defined as a member of a new generation of soul singers with her strong voice and songs which show off her powerhouse vocals. Her most recent album has more of a soulful sound than her previous records, and Kelly has a well-known singer who influenced her.
When Kelly began working with the head of her current record label, he compared Kelly to the "Queen of Soul," the legendary Aretha Franklin. Kelly told Rolling Stone that Aretha's name kept coming up in the planning process. His comparison was fitting: her vocals on the album are moving!
5 Kelly Had An Interesting Hobby
Unwinding from your busy schedule is so important because self-care makes rejuvenation so much easier. Some of us read a book, take a bath or pet cats, but Kelly Clarkson's self-care and nighttime hobby may have more in common with your grandma's favourite pastime.
Kelly gives her mind a break after a long day with some music in the background as she concentrates on quilting. She details her go-to relaxation activity to People, saying that quilting is "fun. I'm not great at it, but it's fun."
She's obviously having fun: she knitted quilts for her co-stars on The Voice!
4 Her Favorite Kind Of Music
Women supporting women is a move we all need to get behind! It's so refreshing to see women working together and liking each other in the music industry.
One of Kelly's favourite singers emerged a few years before she auditioned for American Idol. If you're a fan of late '90s pop music, you may remember a singer whose hair colour was extremely noticeable: Pink!
Over the years, Pink changed hair colours and gained a collaborator in Kelly Clarkson. The duo sang together at the 2017 Academy Music Awards. Both stars gushed about the experience and had a bit of a fangirl experience, as In Style reports.
3 She Looks To Her Mother-In-Law For Inspiration
It's no surprise music runs deep in Kelly Clarkson's life. Her husband has worked in the music management business, she has grown up listening to music, and she would make many musical connections through her time in the industry, but it's especially sweet to learn Kelly has a very maternal collection to a legendary country singer! Kelly's husband, Brandon Blackstock's mother is Reba McEntire, who has been a fixture in the music industry since the 1980s.
Kelly has been vocal about her admiration for her mother-in-law, and they have performed live duets together!
Talk about keeping it in the family.
2 Kelly Loves Her Own Songs
If you're looking for a Kelly Clarkson song to belt out in the privacy of your own bedroom, or if you're taking center stage for karaoke, you'll have no shortage of tunes to choose from! As of this writing, Kelly has released eight full-length albums worth of material, spanning from beautiful ballads to songs tailored for the dance floor. If Kelly is one of your favourite singers, you'll be delighted to know Kelly thinks highly of her songs, too!
In an interview with Ellen from 2018, Kelly sang one of her own songs in a "Kelly Karaoke" segment, as AXS reports. So would we, Kelly!
1 She's A Total "GoT" Fan
Even the busiest of entertainers need some time to catch a moment for themselves and have something to look forward to at the end of the day.
Being an icon of popular culture herself, Kelly looks to one of the most popular forms of entertainment for some rest and relaxation. When the "Since U Been Gone" singer wants to tune into something, she prefers one of the most popular TV shows these days, Game Of Thrones, as The New York Times reports.
Of course, it never hurts to have options. When she isn't catching up with the latest GoT episodes, she digs Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, as Wixx reports.
References: Rolling Stone, Country Living, The York Times, USA Today, People, InStyle
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