Kelly Brianne (born Kelly Brianne Clarkson; April 24, 1982),[a] is an American singer, songwriter, author, and television personality. She rose to fame after winning the first season of American Idol in 2002, which earned her a record deal with RCA Records. Her debut single, "A Moment Like This", topped the US Billboard Hot 100, and became the country's best-selling single of 2002. It was included on her debut studio album, Thankful (2003), which entered the Billboard 200 at number one, and also yielded the top-10 single "Miss Independent". Trying to reinvent her image, Clarkson parted ways with Idol management and shifted to pop rock for her second studio album, Breakaway (2004). Supported by four US top-ten singles – the title track, "Since U Been Gone", "Behind These Hazel Eyes", and "Because of You" – Breakaway sold over 12 million copies worldwide and won two Grammy Awards.
Clarkson took further creative control for her third studio album, My December
(2007), co-writing all of its tracks and becoming its executive
producer. However, her label was dissatisfied with the album's darker rock music and promoted it reluctantly.[3] Clarkson's fourth and fifth studio albums, All I Ever Wanted (2009) and Stronger
(2011), returned to a lighter tone and pop rock sound, with the former
becoming her second US number-one album and the latter making her the
first artist to win the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album twice. Both albums spawned a Hot 100 number-one single: "My Life Would Suck Without You", which holds the record for the biggest jump to number one in the chart's history, and "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)", which became her best-selling single worldwide. Clarkson then had the best-selling Christmas album of the year with Wrapped in Red (2013). Its single, "Underneath the Tree", was named the ASCAP's most popular Christmas song released in the 21st century.[4] Her seventh studio album, Piece by Piece (2015), debuted at number-one in the US, while its title track reached the top ten. After leaving RCA and signing with Atlantic in 2016, Clarkson released her soul-influenced eighth album, Meaning of Life (2017), her second Christmas album, When Christmas Comes Around... (2021), and her tenth studio album, Chemistry (2023), alongside the Adult Top 40 top-10 singles "Love So Soft" and "Mine".
Clarkson also served as a coach on The Voice from its fourteenth season to the twenty-first season, and again for the twenty-third season. Since 2019, she has hosted her own talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show.[5] Among her numerous accolades, she has received three MTV Video Music Awards, three Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, two Academy of Country Music Awards, seven Daytime Emmy Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Clarkson has sold over 25 million albums and 45 million singles
worldwide. She has 11 top-ten singles in the US, and nine top-ten
singles in the UK, Canada, and Australia. She became the first artist in
history to top each of Billboard's pop, adult contemporary, adult pop, country, and dance charts. Billboard has hailed Clarkson as "one of pop music's greatest singers",[6] and honored her with the Powerhouse Award, while VH1 ranked her nineteenth on their list of the 100 Greatest Women in Music.
Early life and careerKelly Brianne Clarkson was born in Fort Worth, Texas, to Jeanne Ann (née Rose), a first-grade English teacher, and Stephen Michael Clarkson, a former engineer.[7] She has an older brother, Jason and an older sister, Alyssa.[7][8] Clarkson also has two younger half-brothers from her father's second marriage.[9] Her parents divorced when she was six years old,[10] whereupon her brother went to live with their father, her sister went to live with an aunt, and she stayed with her mother.[7] Clarkson's mother later married Jimmy Taylor. Clarkson is of English, Welsh, Irish and Greek descent.[11][12] Her mother is a descendant of Republican state senator Isaiah Rose, whose life story was discussed on Clarkson's episode of Who Do You Think You Are? in 2013.[13] Clarkson was raised Southern Baptist.[14]
She has said, "I always grew up in church. I was the leader of our
youth group. I've always grown up pretty close to church and with God.
But I think I've just gotten a lot closer just because He's the only one
I can lean on."[15] She later said of her upbringing, "My family was highly conservative; I had to go to church on Sunday and Wednesday."[16]
Clarkson grew up in Burleson, Texas,
and was educated at Pauline Hughes Middle School. In the seventh grade,
the school's choir teacher, Cynthia Glenn, overheard her singing in a
hallway and asked her to audition for the school choir. Clarkson told
her she had never received any professional vocal training.[17] Clarkson graduated from Burleson High School in 2000, where she performed in several musicals, such as Annie Get Your Gun, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and Brigadoon.[18][19] Clarkson started voice training, hoping to secure a college scholarship in music.[19]
After graduating from high school, Clarkson declined full scholarships to the University of Texas at Austin, University of North Texas, and Berklee College of Music.
She declined them stating, "I'd already written so much music and
wanted to try on my own. And I figured you're never too old to go to
college."[20][19]
She worked several jobs to finance a demo, recording material and
trying to market it to record labels, but she received little response.
Clarkson turned down two recording contracts from Jive Records and Interscope Records, saying, "They would have completely pigeonholed me as a bubblegum act.[7] I was confident enough that something better would come along."[18] In 2001, she traveled to Los Angeles, pursuing a career in music. She appeared as an extra in a few television series such as Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and Dharma & Greg,[21] and briefly worked with musician Gerry Goffin to record five demo tracks in an effort to secure a record deal.[22]
According to Clarkson, her early attempts to launch her music career
floundered when she was turned down by almost every U.S. record label
for sounding "too black".[23]
Lack of other career opportunities and a fire incident in her apartment
forced Clarkson to return to Burleson, where she promoted Red Bull
energy drinks, worked as a telemarketer and as a cocktail waitress in a
comedy club.[17][24]
Career2002–2003: American Idol, World Idol, and ThankfulSee also: American Idol (season 1) and World Idol
Upon returning to Burleson, Clarkson was encouraged by her friends to
audition for the inaugural season of the reality television series American Idol: The Search for a Superstar
in May 2002. Despite receiving a "golden ticket", a pass to the
Hollywood rounds, in the series premiere, Clarkson made her first
appearance during the second episode. In an interview in 2012, Clarkson
referred to the inaugural season as "ghetto", explaining: "On our season
we were like kids in camp. Nobody knew what to do. The show was ever
changing every day. They did one season of Pop Idol
in the UK, but America is a very different market. They dropped us off
in a mall and said 'find some clothes to wear on national television'. I
am maybe the closest to white trash you can get. What do I buy? White
pants I guess? I definitely looked like a cocktail waitress."[25] Clarkson went on to win the competition on September 4, 2002, at the Kodak Theatre (now Dolby), earning 58% of the votes against runner-up Justin Guarini.[26]
Immediately after winning American Idol, Clarkson was signed to a record deal with RCA Records, 19 Recordings, and S Records by talent manager Simon Fuller, who created American Idol, and music mogul Clive Davis, who was slated to executive-produce her debut album. On September 17, 2002, her debut double-A-side single, "Before Your Love"/"A Moment Like This", was released. Both songs were performed by Clarkson during the season finale of American Idol. After debuting at number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart, the single climbed to number 52 the following week, and
subsequently ascended to number one. It broke a 38-year-old record set
by the British band The Beatles for the biggest leap to number one.[27] It eventually went on to become the best-selling single of 2002 in the United States.[28]
American Idol season 1 performances and results[29]
|
Week #
|
Theme
|
Song choice
|
Original artist
|
Order #
|
Result
|
Audition
|
Dallas
|
"Express Yourself" "At Last"
|
Madonna Glenn Miller and His Orchestra
|
N/A
|
Advanced
|
Top 121
|
Hollywood Round 1
|
"Respect"
|
Otis Redding
|
Top 65
|
Hollywood Round 2
|
"I Say a Little Prayer"
|
Dionne Warwick
|
Top 45
|
Hollywood Round 3
|
"Save the Best for Last"
|
Vanessa Williams
|
Top 30
|
Semifinal/Group 2
|
"Respect"
|
Otis Redding
|
9
|
Top 10
|
Motown
|
"You're All I Need to Get By"
|
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
|
8
|
Safe
|
Top 8
|
1960s
|
"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"
|
Aretha Franklin
|
5
|
Top 7
|
1970s
|
"Don't Play That Song (You Lied)"
|
Ben E. King
|
Top 6
|
Big Band
|
"Stuff Like That There"
|
Betty Hutton
|
6
|
Top 5
|
Burt Bacharach Love Songs
|
"Walk On By"
|
Dionne Warwick
|
1
|
Top 4
|
1980s 1990s
|
"It's Raining Men" "I Surrender"
|
The Weather Girls Celine Dion
|
3 7
|
Top 3
|
Idol's Choice Judges' Choice
|
"Think Twice" "Without You"
|
Celine Dion Badfinger
|
3 6
|
Top 2
|
Finale
|
"A Moment Like This" "Respect" "Before Your Love"
|
Kelly Clarkson Otis Redding Kelly Clarkson
|
2 4 6
|
Winner
|
Clarkson's debut album, Thankful, was released on April 15, 2003. The album contained aspects of pop, contemporary R&B, and gospel music,[30][31] with several established musicians such as Rhett Lawrence, Diane Warren, The Underdogs, and Babyface
contributing on to the tracks. Released during a time of urban-R&B
dominance, the album was well received by several critics. AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine
praised the album for its vocal ability: "throughout this record,
(Clarkson) makes it seem effortless and charming. She can croon, she can
belt out a song, she can be sexy and sassy while still being graceful
and as wholesome as the girl next door."[32] Henry Goldblatt of Entertainment Weekly remarked: "Clarkson glides through octaves with the masterful control of someone who's been doing this for decades."[31] Thankful was a commercial success, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and went on to sell over 4.5 million copies worldwide.[30] It was later certified double platinum by the RIAA, platinum in Canada, and gold in Japan and Australia.[33]
Its lead single, "Miss Independent",
became her first international hit, reaching the top ten in five
national charts, including the US. It was later certified gold by the
RIAA. It earned Clarkson her first Grammy Award nomination for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance" at the 46th Grammy Awards.[34] It was followed with two moderately successful singles, "Low" and "The Trouble with Love Is"; the latter was used on the soundtrack of British romantic film Love Actually. Her first video album, Miss Independent, was released on November 18, 2003, and was certified gold by the RIAA.[33] To support Thankful, Clarkson and Idol second season runner-up Clay Aiken co-headlined the 2004 Independent Tour throughout the US.[35]
Clarkson made her film debut with Guarini with the release of the musical romantic comedy film From Justin to Kelly in June 2003. The film was poorly received by critics[36]
and was unsuccessful at the box office, with Clarkson explaining that
she was "contractually obligated" to do the film and didn't like it.[37][38] In 2002, Clarkson, along with American Idol judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson and hosts Brian Dunkleman and Ryan Seacrest, participated in the season premiere of the eighth season of the television comedy series MADtv. She also portrayed Brenda Lee in two episodes of the television drama American Dreams between 2003 and 2004. On December 25, 2003, Clarkson participated in the television special competition World Idol in London, along with the inaugural winners of the several Idol television series around the world. Clarkson was contractually obligated to participate, and she performed Aretha Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman". She ended up as the runner-up with 97 points, behind the first Norwegian Idol Kurt Nilsen.[39]
2004–2006: New management and Breakaway
Trying to distance herself from her American Idol image, Clarkson decided to part ways with Fuller and 19 Management and hired the services of talent manager Jeff Kwatinetz of The Firm. She reinvented her musical direction by developing a more rock-oriented sound with her second studio album, Breakaway.
Davis served as the executive producer for the record, while Clarkson
co-wrote six of the tracks with pop and rock songwriters such as former Evanescence band members Ben Moody and David Hodges, Kara DioGuardi, Dr. Luke and Max Martin. Breakaway received critical acclaim, with Erlewine of AllMusic remarking: "What gives Breakaway
its spine are the driving, anthemic pop tunes, numbers that sound
simultaneously mainstream and youthful, which is a hard trick to pull
off, and they are the tracks that illustrate Clarkson is a rare thing in
the 2000s: a pop singer who's neither hip nor square, just solidly and
enjoyably in the mainstream."[40]
Breakaway was released on November 30, 2004, and became
Clarkson's most commercially successful album. After debuting at number
three on the Billboard 200,[41]
its longevity allowed it to become the third-best-selling album of 2005
in the US and was certified sextuple platinum by the RIAA.[33][42]
The album also enjoyed success throughout the world; it topped the
charts in the Netherlands and Ireland, became the world's
seventh-best-selling album of 2005 and went on to sell more than twelve
million copies worldwide.[43][44] Clarkson supported Breakaway with the Breakaway Tour, Hazel Eyes Tour, and Addicted Tour which took place from 2005 to 2006.[45]
Five singles were released to promote Breakaway. Its title track, "Breakaway", was originally released in July 2004, as the soundtrack for Disney film The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement and was later re-released as the album's fifth single in May 2006. It became Clarkson's third top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100 with a peak of number six. It was a major success on adult contemporary radio, topping the Billboard Adult Contemporary for 21 weeks and the Adult Contemporary Audience chart for 28 weeks (her longest number one on any charts).[46] "Since U Been Gone" was released as the album's lead single in November 2004 and became Clarkson's most successful single on the Hot 100 despite peaking at number two.[46] The second and third singles, "Behind These Hazel Eyes" and "Because of You",
also followed suit—peaking at number six and number seven on the Hot
100, respectively. "Because of You" became Clarkson's biggest single
worldwide, reaching number one on the European Hot 100 Singles chart and the national charts in Brazil, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Switzerland.[47] The fourth single, "Walk Away", peaked at number twelve on the Hot 100. According to Mediabase, Clarkson was the most-played artist of 2006 in the U.S.[48]
Breakaway garnered Clarkson many accolades, including two trophies at the 48th Grammy Awards—the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Since U Been Gone" and the Best Pop Vocal Album.[49] She also won Best Female Video two years in a row, for "Since U Been Gone" and "Because of You", at the MTV Video Music Awards. Clarkson's second video album, Behind Hazel Eyes, was released on March 29, 2005. In 2005, she performed and participated during the thirtieth season of the American sketch-comedy series, Saturday Night Live, and the reality series Damage Control with Simple Plan frontman Pierre Bouvier. She performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Game 2 of the NBA Finals.[50] She also performed during the festivities All-Star Game[51] and the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy;[52] In 2006, Clarkson recorded "Go" as a free download for the Ford Motor Company advertising campaign.[53][54]
2007–2009: My December and All I Ever WantedClarkson's third studio album, My December, was released on June 22, 2007. The album relied on darker themes and heavier rock music.[3][55] Clarkson replaced Davis as the executive producer and co-wrote all the tracks.[56] She opted to collaborate with her band members rather than her previous producers and collaborators.[3][57]
Its production and release became a subject of a dispute with RCA,
particularly with Davis. He noted the album's lack of professional
production input and wanted her to re-record tracks with a more
mainstream appeal, which she refused.[3]
Clarkson defended herself saying, "I've sold more than 15 million
records worldwide, and still nobody listens to what I have to say. I
couldn't give a crap about being a star. I've always just wanted to sing
and write."[58] The album received positive response, but lack of promotion due to reluctance of RCA led Clarkson to dismiss Kwatinetz and Live Nation to cancel its accompanying tour, the My December Tour, and reschedule it into a smaller scale with supporting acts Jon McLaughlin, Sean Kingston and Mandy Moore.[3][59][60] Clarkson later hired talent manager Narvel Blackstock of Starstruck Management. Blackstock was the husband of country artist Reba McEntire, of whom Clarkson is a close friend. Clarkson later issued an apology to Davis, citing him as "a key advisor" in her success.[61]
My December debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified platinum by the RIAA.[33] The album went on to sell over 2.5 million copies worldwide.[62] It featured only one major hit single, "Never Again", which debuted and peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100—her highest debut on the chart ever. On July 7, 2007, Clarkson performed on the American leg of Live Earth concert.[63] Clarkson partnered with NASCAR
during their 2007 season, appearing in televised advertisements,
performed at pre-race concerts, promoted NASCAR Day, and appeared at the
Champions' Banquet in December.[64]
Clarkson collaborated with Reba McEntire in an hour-long CMT Crossroads special at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium on February 22, 2007.[65] Introduced by Dolly Parton, Clarkson performed "Why Haven't I Heard from You" and "Does He Love You" with Martina McBride on the television special CMT Giants: Reba McEntire. She also appeared on an episode of McEntire's sitcom Reba, which aired on January 14, 2007. At the Academy of Country Music Awards on May 16, 2007, Clarkson and McEntire sang a country version of "Because of You", which also became the lead single from the album Reba: Duets. It peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. Throughout 2008, Clarkson and McEntire embarked on the 2 Worlds 2 Voices Tour to support Reba: Duets and My December.[66]
Clarkson's fourth album, All I Ever Wanted,
was released on March 10, 2009. Clarkson continued to co-write her own
material, but this time she returned to a mainstream-oriented sound by
reuniting with previous collaborators Dr. Luke, Martin, and DioGuardi,
and new collaborators Howard Benson, Claude Kelly, Ryan Tedder, Glen Ballard, Matt Thiessen and Katy Perry in contributing tracks for the album. The release of All I Ever Wanted was met with positive acclaim from music critics for its lighter themes.[67] The album was a commercial success, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 and remaining there for two weeks.[68] The album has sold over a million copies in the U.S. and garnered Clarkson a nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 52nd Grammy Awards.[69][70]
Its first single, "My Life Would Suck Without You", became an international hit. It entered the Billboard
Hot 100 at number 97 and rose to the top position the following week,
breaking the record for the biggest jump to number one in a single week
previously held by Britney Spears' "Womanizer".[71] It also topped the charts in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Hungary. It was followed with two more top-twenty singles, "I Do Not Hook Up" and "Already Gone".
The release of "Already Gone" became a subject of another dispute
between Clarkson and RCA, after she realized its similarities with Beyoncé's song "Halo", both of which were produced by Tedder.[72] Further promotion for the album was abruptly ended with the limited success of its fourth and final singles, "All I Ever Wanted" and "Cry". Clarkson supported All I Ever Wanted with the All I Ever Wanted Tour from 2009 to 2010. She also performed as one of many main artists for the return of VH1 Divas in September 2009.[73] Clarkson became a guest mentor on the Dutch television series X Factor in November 2009.[74]
2010–2012: Stronger, Duets, and Greatest Hits – Chapter OneSee also: Duets (TV series)
Clarkson recorded a country duet with Jason Aldean, "Don't You Wanna Stay", for his 2010 album My Kinda Party.[75] It became her first number-one song on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and has sold over 2.7 million copies,[69] making it the best-selling country collaboration in history.[76] It received numerous country-related accolades, including a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance at the 54th Grammy Awards.[77] Clarkson incorporated a slight country vibe into her fifth studio album, Stronger, which was also influenced by Prince, Tina Turner, Sheryl Crow, and Radiohead. She worked with several producers including Greg Kurstin, Ester Dean, Darkchild, Toby Gad, Steve Jordan, and Howard Benson. Released on October 21, 2011, Stronger debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the RIAA.[33] It was also critically applauded and won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2013 Grammy Awards, making her the first artist to win the award twice.[78]
Stronger's lead single, "Mr. Know It All",
was released in September 2011. It reached number one in Australia and
South Korea and attained a top-ten position in seven countries,
including the U.S., where it became her ninth top-ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also became a crossover hit to the country charts, prompting RCA to reissue a country version. "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" served as the second single in January 2012, and topped sixteen Billboard charts, becoming her third number one on the Hot 100.[79]
It also reached number one in Poland and Slovakia and reached the top
ten in many other charts worldwide. It remains Clarkson's best-selling
single, with 4.9 million copies sold in the U.S. alone.[69] The song was nominated for three Grammy Awards—Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance.[78] "Dark Side"
was released as the third and final single in June 2012, and it
achieved a modest success. It became her eleventh top-ten hit on the Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart, and she surpassed Sheryl Crow and Katy Perry as the female artist with the most top-ten songs on the chart.[80]
The release of Stronger was accompanied by two EPs, The Smoakstack Sessions and iTunes Session.[81] The latter debuted at number 85 on the Billboard 200, and it was promoted by its only single, a cover of "I'll Be Home for Christmas". Clarkson co-wrote "Tell Me a Lie", which was recorded by British boy band One Direction for their debut album, Up All Night (2011). Clarkson promoted Stronger with two concert tours, the Stronger Tour and the co-headlining the Kelly Clarkson / The Fray Tour with the alternative rock band The Fray. On February 5, 2012, she performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XLVI to widespread critical acclaim.[82][83] She later released a promotional single, "Get Up (A Cowboys Anthem)", for use in Pepsi's NFL advertising campaign.[84]
Clarkson served as a mentor and judge, alongside John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, and Robin Thicke, on the ABC television show Duets, which premiered on May 24, 2012.[85] The show concluded on July 19, 2012, with Clarkson's contestant Jason Farol finishing as the second runner-up. She also became a guest mentor to Blake Shelton's team on second season on The Voice.[85] The two later collaborated on a cover of "There's a New Kid in Town" for Shelton's 2012 Christmas album, Cheers, It's Christmas.[86]
Commemorating the 10th anniversary of her career in music, Clarkson released her first greatest hits album, Greatest Hits – Chapter One, on November 19, 2012. Three new songs recorded for the compilation—"Catch My Breath", "Don't Rush" (featuring country musician Vince Gill) and "People Like Us"—were
all released as singles. "Catch My Breath" became her 14th top-twenty
hit on the Hot 100 chart as well as her 13th million-selling single in
the United States.[69] According to Billboard, it was the third biggest adult contemporary song of 2013.[87]
However, its follow-up singles performed moderately well on the charts.
Clarkson earned more nominations from the country music industry,
including Best Country Duo/Group Performance for "Don't Rush" at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards and Female Vocalist of the Year at the 2012 Country Music Association Awards.[88] Chapter One was eventually certified gold in Australia, the UK and the U.S.[33]
2013–2015: Wrapped in Red and Piece by PieceSee also: Kelly Clarkson's Cautionary Christmas Music Tale
In January 2013, Clarkson performed "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" at the second inauguration of U.S. President Barack Obama.[89] Her live rendition was acclaimed by critics, who contrasted it with Beyoncé's pre-recorded performance during the same event.[90] In February 2013, she performed "Tennessee Waltz" and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards as a tribute to Patti Page and Carole King.[91] She also released a non-album single, "Tie It Up", exclusively to country music stations in June 2013.[92] Clarkson and Maroon 5 performed at 24 concerts as part of the 12th Annual Honda Civic Tour, starting on August 1, 2013, and ending on October 6, 2013. She was featured on the re-recorded version of "Foolish Games" for Jewel's first compilation, Greatest Hits (2013).[93] Clarkson also collaborated with singer Robbie Williams on the song "Little Green Apples" for his 2013 album Swings Both Ways.[94]
Clarkson's sixth studio album and first Christmas record, Wrapped in Red, was solely produced by Greg Kurstin. She co-wrote all five original songs and recorded eleven cover versions of Christmas standards and carols. Released on October 25, 2013, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Holiday Albums and at number three on the Billboard 200 chart.[95] By December 2013, Wrapped in Red had already been certified platinum by the RIAA and eventually became the best-selling holiday album of the year.[96] The album's lead single, "Underneath the Tree", was an adult contemporary number-one hit in both the U.S. and Canada. Clarkson subsequently became Billboard's ninth top adult contemporary act of 2013.[97] On December 11, 2013, her first Christmas special debut, Kelly Clarkson's Cautionary Christmas Music Tale, garnered over 5.3 million viewers.[98] In December 2013, Citizen Watch Co. announced Clarkson as their newest Brand Ambassador.[99] Retaining her relationship with country music acts in 2014, Clarkson collaborated with Martina McBride on "In the Basement" (originally by Etta James and Sugar Pie DeSanto) for McBride's album Everlasting and with Trisha Yearwood on "PrizeFighter" for Yearwood's compilation PrizeFighter: Hit After Hit.[100] Clarkson also performed a rendition of "All I Ask of You" with Josh Groban on his seventh studio album, Stages, and its companion television special.[101] She was featured on Ben Haenow's "Second Hand Heart", the lead single from his debut studio album.[102]
In February 2015, Clarkson released Piece by Piece, her seventh and final studio album under her recording contract with RCA Records.[103] Musically, it is an electropop and dance album, featuring collaborations with Kurstin, Jesse Shatkin, Sia, John Legend, and Shane McAnally, among others. Piece by Piece received a reasonably positive response from music critics[104] and became her third album to debut at the top of the Billboard 200 chart.[105] To promote the album, Clarkson appeared in several televised performances, including the fourteenth season of American Idol, where she became the only alumnus ever to be dedicated with a competing week featuring her discography.[106] She also supported the Piece by Piece Tour
throughout 2015, which was cut short of its worldwide visits following
medical recommendations for a vocal rest during the year.[107]
Piece by Piece spawned three singles. The first one, "Heartbeat Song", peaked at number 21 on the Billboard
Hot 100 chart and became a top-ten hit in the UK, Austria, Poland, and
South Africa. However, Clarkson failed to achieve a similar success with
the second single, "Invincible". The third and final single, "Piece by Piece", debuted and peaked at number eight on the Hot 100 chart, following Clarkson's emotional performance on the fifteenth season of American Idol. It became her eleventh U.S. top-ten hit and matched "Never Again" as her highest debut on the chart.[108][109] At the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, the album and "Heartbeat Song" were nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance, respectively. At the following year, the title track also received a nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance.[110]
2016–2018: Children's books, Meaning of Life, and The VoiceSee also: The Voice (American TV series)
In February 2016, it was announced that Clarkson had signed a book deal with HarperCollins. Her first children's book, River Rose and the Magical Lullaby was released on October 4, 2016. The book features an original lullaby written and performed by Clarkson.[111] On the possibility of writing any more books in the future, Clarkson told Publishers Weekly,
"I've got a few ideas – there could be a lullaby for each book. We've
got a plethora of stories, and I've already written seven songs, full
out, so we'll just have to see which ones might pan out to be a book.
But yes, there will definitely be more."[112] The second book featuring River Rose, River Rose and the Magical Christmas, was released on October 24, 2017, and included an original song written and sung by Clarkson, "Christmas Eve".[113]
On March 15, 2016, First Lady Michelle Obama released "This Is for My Girls", a collaborative track featuring vocals from Clarkson, Janelle Monáe, Kelly Rowland, Lea Michele, Zendaya, and Missy Elliott to coincide with Barack Obama's SXSW speech and to promote the First Lady's third-world educational initiative Let Girls Learn.[114] Clarkson recorded a solo version of "It's Quiet Uptown" for The Hamilton Mixtape. Her version was released on November 3, 2016, as a promotional single for the album.[115] She also recorded a duet called "Love Goes On" with Aloe Blacc for the original soundtrack of The Shack, which was released in the United States on March 3, 2017.[116] On May 11, 2017, it was announced that Clarkson would join The Voice as a coach for the series' fourteenth season.[117]
On June 24, 2016, Clarkson announced she had signed a long-term worldwide deal with Atlantic Records, with the intentions of releasing a soul-influenced eighth studio album in 2017.[118] Her lead single "Love So Soft", was released on September 7, 2017, along with the song "Move You".[119] On September 6, 2017, Clarkson announced that her album, Meaning of Life, would be released on October 27, 2017. Clarkson opened the 45th American Music Awards with P!nk, and together they performed R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts" to honor first responders. Later in the show, she performed "Miss Independent" and "Love So Soft".[120] "Love So Soft" was nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, giving her the record for the most nominations in that category with four.[121] With the release of Meaning of Life,
Clarkson revealed that she had discussions with Atlantic Records about
the sound of the follow-up record and has expressed interest in
venturing deeper into R&B and soulful pop music.
Clarkson lent her voice in the computer-animated film The Star, alongside Oprah Winfrey, Steven Yeun, Tyler Perry, and others. The film is based on the Nativity of Jesus. Developed by Sony Pictures Animation, the film was released on November 17, 2017. This was the first film in which Clarkson performed a voice role.[122] Clarkson also had a guest voice role in the Netflix animated series Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh, portraying herself in the series' 2017 animated Christmas special, Home for the Holidays, alongside Ben Schwartz.[123] In March 2018, Clarkson released "I've Loved You Since Forever", a ballad version of the children's book by Hoda Kotb.[124] Clarkson hosted and performed at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards on May 20, 2018.[125] In the fourteenth season of The Voice, Brynn Cartelli was crowned the winner, giving Clarkson her first victory.[126] In the fifteenth season of The Voice, Chevel Shepherd
was crowned the winner, giving Clarkson her second consecutive victory
and making her the first female coach to win multiple seasons.
2019–2022: The Kelly Clarkson Show and When Christmas Comes Around...See also: The Kelly Clarkson Show
On February 28, 2019, it was announced that she would return to host the 2019 Billboard Music Awards, which aired on May 1, 2019.[127] Clarkson voiced Moxy and provided original songs in the animated musical comedy film UglyDolls, which was released on May 3, 2019.[128] On March 27, 2019, she released "Broken & Beautiful", the lead single from the UglyDolls: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.[129] Clarkson also began hosting the daytime variety talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, which premiered on September 9, 2019.[130] In December 2019, Jake Hoot was crowned the winner of the seventeenth season of The Voice, giving Clarkson her third victory as a coach in four seasons.
In November 2019, Clarkson announced a Las Vegas residency, Kelly Clarkson: Invincible. The residency was due to take place at the Zappos Theater. It was supposed to run from April to September 2020, but it was postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.[131][132] Also in November 2019, Clarkson made an appearance on the Apple TV+ drama series The Morning Show as herself, performing her song "Heat" and interacting with the fictional hosts of the show.[133] In February 2020, Clarkson became a brand ambassador for Wayfair. In addition, Wayfair released "an 'exclusive' collection of furniture and decor inspired by Clarkson and her Texan roots."[134] On April 10, 2020, Trolls World Tour, which featured a character voiced by Clarkson, was released.[135] On April 16, 2020, Clarkson released the standalone single "I Dare You" in English, as well as duets in five different languages with five native-speaking artists.[136] In May 2020, The Kelly Clarkson Show earned seven nominations, the most for any talk show,[137] with Clarkson winning in the category Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host.[138]
In June 2020, it was announced that she would receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2021, being inducted into the category of Recording.[139] In May 2021, NBC announced that Clarkson's show would take over the time slot of The Ellen DeGeneres Show after it ends in 2022.[140] In June 2021, Clarkson won two Daytime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Talk Show Entertainment and a second consecutive win for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host.[141]
On September 23, 2021, Clarkson released "Christmas Isn't Canceled (Just You)", the lead single off her ninth studio album and second Christmas album, When Christmas Comes Around...[142] The album was released on October 15, 2021, to positive reviews and earned Clarkson a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.[143][144] In November 2021, Clarkson performed at the second annual iHeartRadio Holiday Special.[145] She hosted her second Christmas special, Kelly Clarkson Presents: When Christmas Comes Around, which premiered on December 1, 2021.[146] Also in December 2021, Girl Named Tom were crowned winners of the twenty-first season of The Voice. They are the first group act to win an American season & secured Clarkson's fourth victory as a coach.[147]
In February 2022, Clarkson and Snoop Dogg were named co-hosts of the singing competition series American Song Contest. It is an adaptation of the popular international songwriting competition Eurovision Song Contest. The series premiered on March 21, 2022.[148]
On June 9, 2022, Clarkson released Kellyoke, an EP consisting of six cover songs that Clarkson covered during her "Kellyoke" segment on her talk show.[149] She also revealed that her tenth studio album and follow-up to 2017's Meaning of Life and 2021's Christmas album When Christmas Comes Around... was complete, but Clarkson wanted more time to prepare for the promotion and release of the collection.[150]
In June 2022, Clarkson won two Daytime Emmys, including Outstanding Talk Show Entertainment for the second consecutive year and Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host for the third consecutive year.[151] Clarkson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on September 19, 2022.[152] Clarkson appeared on the Kelsea Ballerini song, "You're Drunk, Go Home" along with Carly Pearce, which was released in September 2022.[153]
2023–present: ChemistryClarkson hosted the 12th Annual NFL Honors on February 9, 2023.[154] After taking the twenty-second season of The Voice off, it was announced in October 2022, that Clarkson would return for the twenty-third season in 2023.[155]
Clarkson covered the Cole Porter song, "Don't Fence Me In" on
Jeff Goldblum and The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra's EP, Play Well with Others, which was released in March 2023.[156]
On March 26, 2023, she announced her tenth studio album, Chemistry,[157][158][159] which was released on June 23, 2023.[5] The album's double A-side lead singles, "Mine" and "Me" were released on April 14, 2023.[160] On March 27, 2023, Clarkson announced a ten night Las Vegas residency, Chemistry: An Intimate Evening with Kelly Clarkson, which ran from July 28 to August 19, 2023, at the Bakkt Theater. Four additional dates were added for December 2023, and February 2024.[161][162] In October 2023, Clarkson relocated and moved production of The Kelly Clarkson Show from Los Angeles to New York City to start its fifth season.[163] On November 8, 2023, Clarkson launched her own Sirius XM channel, Kelly Clarkson Connection.
The channel will feature Clarkson's own music, music she loves, and
music from artists who inspire her. She will also tell stories about her
own music.[164] On November 10, 2023, Clarkson's studio album Chemistry earned her a sixth nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album, making her the most nominated performer in the category.[165] On December 15, 2023, she won two Daytime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Daytime Talk Series and Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host.[166]
ArtistryVoice
Duration: 23 seconds.0:23
Clarkson displaying her upper soprano range, displaying variations in vibrato as well as her noted dynamic and emotive delivery
Duration: 25 seconds.0:25
Clarkson displaying a softer, breathier timbre to her vocal while also demonstrating her harmonizing capabilities in her duet with Vince Gill
Problems playing these files? See media help.
Critics have described Clarkson as having a soprano voice.[167][168][169][170] Describing Clarkson's voice, Arion Berger of Rolling Stone
wrote that "her high notes are sweet and pillowy, her growl is
bone-shaking and sexy, and her mid-range is amazingly confident."[171] In reviewing a live performance of Clarkson's, Jon Caramanica of The New York Times
said she "showed off a voice that moved in all sorts of ways, without
ever appearing to strain", continuing "Ms. Clarkson, who has a malleable
voice and a boatload of vocal confidence, might be a soul siren in the
making". However, in a separate review of Stronger, Caramanica
said Clarkson's voice is "too huge, too violent" for warmer and sweeter
vocal stylings, stating "she's on a par with Taylor Swift when it comes to vengeance, and she'll do it louder and with more brutality in comparison to her contemporary."[172][173] In a live review as part of her Stronger Tour, Sophie Sinclair of Hit The Floor
said "Kelly's strong and powerful voice was flawless throughout the
night, and some may even say she sounds better live than she does on her
albums".[174] Mark Deming from Phoenix New Times
stated that "in an era when pop music means over-singing a song into a
bloody pulp, Clarkson has consistently displayed both charisma and a
welcome sense of restraint, knowing how to sound passionate and
heartfelt without forgetting where the melody and the root n
Recommend Products
Copyright (C) www.alcshn.com 2024. All Rights Reserved.
|