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Kelly Clarkson is one of the most successful and versatile artists in contemporary pop music. She has a powerful and expressive voice that can sing a range of genres, such as pop, rock, country, and soul. She has also proven herself as a talented songwriter, author, and TV personality. She has sold over 25 million albums and 45 million singles worldwide, and has won three Grammy Awards, among other honors.
Early Life and Career
Kelly Clarkson was born on April 24, 1982, in Fort Worth, Texas, to Jeanne and Stephen Clarkson. She has two older siblings, Jason and Alyssa. Her parents divorced when she was six years old, and she moved to Burleson, Texas, with her mother and stepfather. She grew up listening to various music styles, such as soul, gospel, classical, and country. She sang in her school choir and musicals, and also performed at local events and festivals1.
She auditioned for the first season of American Idol in 2002, and impressed the judges and the viewers with her vocal skills and charisma. She beat out more than 10,000 contestants and became the first winner of the show, earning a record deal with RCA Records. Her debut single, “A Moment Like This”, became a huge hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and breaking the record for the biggest leap to the top spot. Her debut album, Thankful, was released in 2003, and also topped the Billboard 200 chart. It featured the pop-rock anthem “Miss Independent”, which earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance2.
Music and TV Success
Kelly Clarkson established herself as a pop-rock star with her second album, Breakaway, which was released in 2004. The album was co-written and co-produced by Clarkson, along with Max Martin, Dr. Luke, and other prominent music makers. It spawned four top-ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: “Breakaway”, “Since U Been Gone”, “Behind These Hazel Eyes”, and “Because of You”. The album sold over 12 million copies worldwide, and won two Grammy Awards for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance3.
She continued to experiment with different musical styles and themes in her subsequent albums, such as My December (2007), All I Ever Wanted (2009), Stronger (2011), Piece by Piece (2015), and Meaning of Life (2017). She also collaborated with various artists, such as Reba McEntire, Jason Aldean, John Legend, and Pentatonix. Some of her most popular songs from these albums include “My Life Would Suck Without You”, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”, “Heartbeat Song”, and “Love So Soft”. She also released two Christmas albums, Wrapped in Red (2013) and When Christmas Comes Around… (2021), which featured original and classic holiday songs4.
Kelly Clarkson also ventured into TV and film, as an actress, host, and coach. She starred in the musical comedy film From Justin to Kelly (2003), which was based on her American Idol win. She also appeared in several TV shows and movies, such as Reba, American Dreams, The Star, and Trolls World Tour. She hosted the Billboard Music Awards in 2018 and 2019, and the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2020. She also joined the reality singing competition The Voice as a coach in 2018, and has won four seasons so far. In 2019, she launched her own daytime talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, which has won several Daytime Emmy Awards5.
Personal Life and Philanthropy
Kelly Clarkson has been married twice, and has four children. She married music manager Brandon Blackstock in 2013, and they have two children together, River Rose and Remington Alexander. She also became the stepmother of Blackstock’s two children from his previous marriage, Savannah and Seth. She filed for divorce from Blackstock in 2020, citing irreconcilable differences. She married singer-songwriter Brett Eldredge in 2022, after collaborating with him on the duet “Under the Mistletoe”6.
She is also involved in various charitable and social causes, such as children’s education, health, and welfare, animal rights, LGBT rights, and women’s empowerment. She has supported and donated to organizations such as Save the Children, UNICEF, Musicians on Call, PETA, GLAAD, and March for Our Lives. She has also performed at several benefit concerts, such as Idol Gives Back, Live Earth, and One World: Together at Home.
Kelly Clarkson is a pop star with a soulful voice and a diverse musical repertoire. She has achieved remarkable success and recognition in both the music and entertainment industries, and has inspired millions of fans and aspiring artists. She is also a role model for women, as she advocates for social justice, equality, and empowerment.
