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Kelly Clarkson

 
Who2 Biography: Kelly Clarkson, Pop Musician / Talent Show Contestant
Kelly Clarkson
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  • Born: 24 April 1982
  • Birthplace: Burleson, Texas
  • Best Known As: The American Idol winner who sang "A Moment Like This"

Kelly Clarkson is a pop singer whose career blasted off in 2002 when she won the talent competition in the American Idol television series (hosted by Ryan Seacrest). With a recording contract and a hit single ("A Moment Like This"), Clarkson was suddenly an international star. Her debut album, Thankful, was released in March of 2003 and immediately rose to the top of the charts, right alongside established stars such as Madonna, 50 Cent and Linkin Park. Her second album, Breakaway, was another hit, and one of the best selling albums of 2005. Clarkson won a Grammy award as Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the album's single, "Since You Been Gone," and the album was nominated as Best Pop Vocal Album. Her third record, My December (2007), was released amid news reports of a feud with her record label, the firing of her longtime manager and the cancellation of big shows for a summer tour. The record was characterized by the press as a darker, rock-oriented record -- Clarkson breaking free from the constraints of professional songwriters, it was said -- and sold respectably, despite a lack of top hit singles.

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Artist: Kelly Clarkson
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  • Born: April 24, 1982, Fort Worth, TX
  • Active: 2000s
  • Genres: Rock
  • Instrument: Vocals
  • Representative Albums: "Thankful," "Breakaway," "All I Ever Wanted"
  • Representative Songs: "Because of You," "Since U Been Gone," "Miss Independent"

Biography

The winner of Fox TV's first American Idol competition during the summer of 2002, Kelly Clarkson went from an anonymous talent to a nationally known singer in a matter of months, performing for an audience of millions. One of the show's most naturally gifted singers, the affable Texan then went on to enjoy a successful pop career, with only Carrie Underwood rivaling her as American Idol's most commercial export.

Clarkson was born in Forth Worth and raised in Burleson, TX, and her vocal talents were discovered in seventh grade, when a music teacher heard her voice and urged Clarkson to join the school choir. After high school, she opted to skip college and went to Hollywood to make her name; she appeared as an extra on an episode of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, but no other opportunities materialized. Upon returning to Burleson, Clarkson worked at a movie theater, promoted Red Bull energy drinks, and ultimately worked as a cocktail waitress at a comedy club before entering the American Idol contest.

One of 10,000 aspiring singers, Clarkson distinguished herself not only with her big, surprisingly mature voice, but also with her down-to-earth charm and sense of humor; at one of her auditions, she switched places with judge Randy Jackson, who did an impromptu version of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly." Over the course of the 13-week show, her consistently strong performances of songs like "Respect," "Natural Woman," "Stuff Like That There," and "Without You" earned Clarkson enough audience votes to claim one of the contest's two finalist positions. After singing "A Moment Like This" and "Before Your Love," both of which were written for the show, Clarkson won the American Idol contest with 58 percent of the audience's votes. In addition to the show's prize of one million dollars and a recording contract with RCA, Clarkson secured a deal with Creative Artists Agency and several bookings, including the national American Idol tour and a performance of the national anthem at the September 11 commemoration at Washington, D.C.'s Lincoln Memorial.

Despite her newfound fame, Clarkson opted to remain in Texas rather than move to New York or Los Angeles. Her first single, "A Moment Like This," was released just two weeks after she won the contest and quickly earned platinum sales. Clarkson's debut full-length, Thankful, was released in spring of 2003, just in time to coincide with the second season of American Idol (and right before the American Idol movie, From Justin to Kelly). Breakaway followed in late 2004 and was a huge success, selling over five million copies (making it the third best-selling album of 2005) and spawning the hit singles "Because of You," "Behind These Hazel Eyes," and the enormously popular "Since U Been Gone." That song and Breakaway earned Grammys for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album, respectively, at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards in early 2006. Clarkson continued her busy touring schedule into the summer and announced plans for her third album.

Clarkson released My December, the studio follow-up to Breakaway, in 2007. Notable as Clarkson's first foray into songwriting, My December featured a darker, more rock-oriented edge than its predecessor and even featured a guest appearance by punk icon bassist Mike Watt. However, label exec Clive Davis openly disapproved of the album's direction, claiming that it lacked the commercial appeal of Breakaway. A public feud ensued, and Clarkson was dealt another blow when poor ticket sales resulted in the cancellation of her upcoming tour. The leadoff single "Never Again" nevertheless became a Top Ten pop hit, and My December climbed its way to platinum status by the year's end.

Kelly Clarkson returned to the top of the charts in early 2009, when the sugary single "My Life Would Suck Without You" set a record for the largest leap to number one. Composed by songwriting vets Max Martin, Lukasz Gottwald, and Claude Kelly, the song also set the stage for her fourth album, All I Ever Wanted, whose pop-minded material was mostly produced by OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
Wikipedia: Kelly Clarkson
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Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson in a safety brief prior to taking a ride with the U.S. Navy's flight demonstration team the Blue Angels on Joint Reserve Base Naval Air Station Fort Worth, Texas, May 10, 2006.
Background information
Birth name Kelly Brianne Clarkson
Born April 24, 1982 (1982-04-24) (age 27)
Fort Worth, Texas
Origin Burleson, Texas, United States
Genres Pop, rock, soul
Occupations Singer-songwriter, actress
Instruments Vocals
Years active 2002–present
Labels RCA Records, Sony Music
Website www.KellyOfficial.com

Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982) is an American pop singer, songwriter, and occasional actress. Clarkson made her debut under RCA Records after she won the first season of the television series American Idol in 2002.

Clarkson has released four albums to date: her debut album Thankful (2003), her multi-platinum second album Breakaway (2004), My December (2007), and her latest album All I Ever Wanted (2009). Her first four albums have sold over 10.3 million copies in the United States.[1]

Eight of Clarkson's singles became Top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Her single, "My Life Would Suck Without You", advanced from No. 97 to No. 1 on the Hot 100 in its first week of release, breaking the record for the largest leap to the top position in chart history.[2][3]

In addition to her music, Clarkson had the lead role in the movie From Justin to Kelly (2003) along with Justin Guarini. She played Brenda Lee in the television drama American Dreams and appeared in the sitcom Reba. She also participated in comedy skits on MADtv (2002) and Saturday Night Live (2005).[4]

Clarkson has toured extensively worldwide as a solo act. After Clarkson's appearance on the CMT Crossroads and her duet version of "Because of You" (2007) with Reba McEntire, they co-headlined the 2 Worlds 2 Voices Tour (2008).[5]

Contents

Early life

Kelly Brianne Clarkson was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and grew up in the small town of Burleson, a suburb of Fort Worth. She is the third and youngest child of Jeanne Rose, a first grade teacher, and Stephen Michael Clarkson. Clarkson's siblings include her older brother and sister, Jason and Alyssa. When Clarkson was six years old, her parents divorced after seventeen years of marriage. The family settled in Burleson, where Clarkson's mother married her second husband, Jimmy Taylor.[6]

Clarkson's family struggled financially and after her parents divorced; music became her refuge. Clarkson attended Pauline G Hughes Middle School and Burleson High School. She wanted to become a marine biologist but changed her mind after seeing the movie Jaws.[7] In seventh grade, a teacher (Mrs. Cynthia Glenn) overheard her singing in a hallway and asked her to audition for the school choir; Clarkson told the teacher that she had never received professional vocal training.

In high school, Clarkson performed in musicals such as Annie Get Your Gun, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Brigadoon. She sang at her high school talent show, after which a gentleman shared some inspiring words with her: "God has given you this gift. You've got to sing. You're destined to sing." Clarkson continued singing and soon started classical training, hoping that music would be her ticket to a college scholarship.[8]

Upon high school graduation, Clarkson was offered full scholarships to The University of Texas at Austin, University of North Texas, and Berklee, but decided against college because she had "already written so much music and wanted to try it on her own," and she figured "you're never too old to go to college."[8]

American Idol

Clarkson won the first season of American Idol on September 4, 2002, earning 58% of the vote to 42% for Justin Guarini.[9] Choking back tears, Clarkson performed the ballad "A Moment Like This", the song written for the winner of American Idol, which would subsequently appear on her debut album, Thankful. The song's music video was filmed at Pantages Theater in Hollywood, and incorporated short scenes of Clarkson performing on Idol. When released as a single in October 2002, it set a record on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart when it rose from number 52 to number one.[10] This achievement was largely due to the impact from Idol as the CD single managed to sell 236,000 copies in its first week of sales in the U.S.;[11] it spent five weeks at number one in Canada.

Soon after the first season of American Idol ended, Clarkson starred with Idol runner-up Justin Guarini in the movie From Justin to Kelly (2003). The film was poorly received by critics[12] and grossed only $5 million at the North American box office, less than half its reported budget.[13] Clarkson has mentioned in interviews that she is shocked when people send her scripts after From Justin to Kelly, often citing contractual obligation as her sole reason for involvement in the film.[14] Clarkson was quoted telling People "I knew when I read the script it was going to be real, real bad, but when I won, I signed that piece of paper and I could not get out of it." [15] The script was written by Kim Fuller, Simon Fuller's brother.[16]

World Idol

In December 2003, a competition titled World Idol was held in London, England, gathering the winners of the first seasons of Idol from across the globe. Clarkson was contractually obligated to participate, and placed second behind Norwegian Idol Kurt Nilsen. She performed Aretha Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman". Because she left immediately after the competition, she was criticized by some in the media[who?] for what they saw as poor sportsmanship. Clarkson later explained to fans that she was not feeling well.[17]

Post-Idol: career

Kelly Clarkson performed at the Washington D.C. Lincoln Memorial on September 11, 2002 following her win on American Idol.

Shortly following the completion of the first season of American Idol, Clarkson was accused of working with a record company. American Idol's rules stated that a contestant was not allowed to compete on the program if they had been linked to a record company. However, she was cleared of all allegations, as she had only had a contract in order to conduct demonstration work.[18]

Clarkson is currently the only American Idol contestant to have reached number one in the UK. She claimed number one on March 1, 2009 when "My Life Would Suck Without You" debuted number one on downloads alone.[19] She has sold over 10.2 million albums in the United States, and over 20 million albums worldwide, becoming the highest-selling Idol winner. According to Nielsen SoundScan, Clarkson is also ranked on the top 200 album sellers of the Nielsen SoundScan era at number 187.[20]

2003–04: Thankful

Following the release of "A Moment Like This", Clarkson's full-length debut album Thankful was released in North America by RCA Records on April 15, 2003.[21] It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200. The album was certified double platinum by the RIAA for sales of two million copies on December 8, 2003[22] and platinum by the CRIA for sales of 100,000 copies on February 10, 2004.[23] Reviews for the album were generally favorable. However, several critics noted that her early achievement was established due to her performances on American Idol. 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".[24] Rachel Kipp of JS Online criticized Clarkson for not having the same personality on Thankful that she had on American Idol, and wrote: "on American Idol, Clarkson showcased a great voice and an endearing, 'aw-shucks' personality. That personality is missing on Thankful, and there lies the album's greatest fault". Kipp blamed the producers behind the album for not allowing Clarkson to be herself.[25]

"Miss Independent" was released as the second single from Thankful. It reached the top ten of the U.S. and Canadian singles charts, and earned Clarkson a 2004 Grammy Award nomination for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance".[26] When the single was released in the United Kingdom and Australia, it reached the top ten of the charts; however, Thankful received less attention. It peaked at number forty-one on the UK albums chart and at number 33 on the Australian albums chart.

"Low", the third single from Thankful, reached number two in Canada, but it was unable to make the Top 40 of the U.S. chart. The final single, "The Trouble with Love Is", was not released in Canada, and it peaked at #101 on the U.S. Charts. Clarkson attributed the under performance of both releases to poor management and relieved her manager Simon Fuller, who she felt was not completely focused on her career. Clarkson also covered Danielle Brisebois' "Just Missed the Train" on the album.

2004–06: Breakaway

Distancing herself from her American Idol image, Clarkson took more creative control with her second studio album Breakaway, and developed a more rock-oriented image. Breakaway was released by RCA Records on November 30, 2004.[27] The album debuted within the U.S. top five and Canadian top ten, but sales were initially low in comparison to Thankful.[28] However, the single releases from Breakaway proved very successful, and allowed it to become only the fourth album in history to stay in the Billboard 200 Top 20 for a consecutive year, as well as, being certified 6x platinum in the U.S. in late 2007[29] and 5x platinum in Canada in May, 2006.[30] In Australia, the album reached number two and spent 52 weeks in the top 10 and was certified 6x Platinum; however, it experienced a delayed release in the UK. Clarkson co-wrote six of the songs with several songwriters, such as former Evanescence band members Ben Moody, David Hodges and producer Max Martin; the title track was co-written by punk-pop singer Avril Lavigne. Breakaway received different responses from critics; Rolling Stone commented that "on Kelly Clarkson's second album, ... she embraces her rock side rather than the pop pageantry that put her on top of the American Idol heap".[31] TeenInk noted the strength of her vocals on Breakaway, and praised the change from pop music to contemporary rock: "[Clarkson] retains the incredible power and beauty of her voice while switching to rock".[32] Stylus magazine also enjoyed Clarkson's foray into rock music, however, she was called out because of her American Idol image, which reviewer Charles Merwin believed she had yet to lose. He praised the non-singles and wrote that they "maintain a quality high".[33] Allmusic called the album "a nice, low-key relief".[34]

Clarkson performing her 'Hazel Eyes' concert tour - November 10, 2005 - Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Clarkson appeared on numerous television programs during the promotional tour for Breakaway, some of which included Saturday Night Live, The Oprah Winfrey Show and The View; she performed the first two singles "Breakaway" and "Since U Been Gone" on Saturday Night Live, which became her first major telecast appearance in order to support the album. "Breakaway", co-written by Avril Lavigne, served as the original song for The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) and achieved considerable success across the world; it became Clarkson's third top-ten single in the U.S. and fourth top-ten single in Canada. It reached number ten in Australia, and number 22 in the UK. The song's contemporary pop-rock ambiance was one of the several tracks including a stronger rock-influenced sound that had not been heard on Thankful. The second single "Since U Been Gone", which was 'produced' by Max Martin, became the most successful release from the album. Its music video presented Clarkson singing to an underground audience with a full band; cut scenes of Clarkson destroying a former boyfriend's apartment were incorporated. The song's strong rock ambiance allowed it to reach number two in the U.S. and the top five across the world. It also earned Clarkson her first Grammy Award for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance"; she won a second award for "Best Pop Vocal Album".[35]

The third and fourth single releases, "Behind These Hazel Eyes" and "Because of You", also followed with chart success. The video for "Behind These Hazel Eyes" broke the record for days at #1 for a female artist with 33 out of 50 days #1 on TRL. The video for "Because of You" won the 2006 MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video, her second consecutive win in that category (The first being from "Since U Been Gone"). The fifth single from Breakaway was entitled "Walk Away". Breakaway spent 103 weeks on the Billboard 200. It fell out of the Billboard 200 in late November and was moved to Billboard's Pop Catalog. Breakaway was the tenth best selling album of 2006 in the US, adding nearly 2 million additional sales to the 2005 and 2004 sales. As a testament to Clarkson's continuing popularity, she was the most-played artist of 2006 on American radio, despite releasing only one single in the entire year, "Walk Away".[36] On December 23, 2006, American Top 40 radio show host Ryan Seacrest announced during a countdown of 2006's most popular songs that Clarkson had had a song in the American Top 40 for 111 weeks, making her "the most successful female artist in AT40 history". She was also the most radio broadcasted artist of 2006 in Australia and "Because Of You" was the third most broadcast song of the same year, despite being released in 2005.[37]

Clarkson at the Naval Air Station Fort Worth, Texas, Joint Reserve Base in 2006

In 2005, Clarkson made a performance during the 2005 NBA All-Star Weekend as part of the festivities leading up to the All-Star Game[38] Later that year, she performed the Star-Spangled Banner at Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons She also performed that spring as part of the 2005 NCAA Final Four festivities in St. Louis, Missouri.[39]

In the summer of 2006, Clarkson lent Ford Motor Co. a song titled "Go", written by Clarkson and Rhett Lawrence ("Miss Independent"). The song was used in the company's advertising campaign in 2006, "Bold Moves" and the song, along with its music video, was made available free at Ford's AddictedtoKelly.com website (website now defunct).[40]

2007–2008: My December

While on tour in Europe in 2006, Clarkson began writing and composing songs for her third album, My December.[41] During the Addicted Tour, Clarkson debuted two of her songs: "Maybe" and "Yeah". The first single from My December was "Never Again", which made its radio debut on April 13, 2007. The song was released on iTunes on April 20, 2007, but was taken down and replaced with a notice that said that the song was not available until April 23, 2007. The single peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at #8 and on the Pop 100 at #5. Following "Never Again", Clarkson released "Sober" as her next single from My December on June 6, 2007. The singles were promoted with appearances on Good Morning America and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Clarkson also returned to American Idol on the May 23, 2007 season 6 finale for the first time since its third season, performing "Never Again" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" with Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry during a Beatles medley.[42]

Clarkson parted with her management, The Firm, on June 11, 2007, after the controversy[specify] surrounding My December.[43] Clarkson would then sign with Starstruck Entertainment, run by Narvel Blackstock — the husband of Reba McEntire - on July 2, 2007.[44] On June 14, 2007, Live Nation announced that Clarkson's summer tour—her first nationwide arena tour—had been canceled due to underwhelming ticket sales, to be rescheduled after the release of the My December album at smaller, more intimate concert environments.[45] Clarkson reinstated plans to tour the US during 2007, with a much smaller tour than the one she canceled in June. Clarkson began her My December Tour on October 10 in Verona, New York in venues significantly smaller than those previously booked.[46]

My December was officially released in the U.S. on June 26, 2007. On the date of the album's release, Clarkson appeared on Good Morning America to promote her new album. Clarkson performed songs from this new album, including the single "Never Again".[47] Despite the controversy surrounding My December, the album debuted at #2 in the U.S. with 291,000 albums sold.[48] This is a slightly higher debut than Clarkson's previous album, Breakaway, which debuted at #3.[49]

On July 7, 2007, Clarkson performed on the American leg of Live Earth. Her five-song performance set included: "Walk Away", "How I Feel", "Never Again", "Sober", and "Since U Been Gone".[50]

Clarkson was the celebrity coach for Canadian Idol during its Top 5 week of the fifth season, aired on the CTV network on August 20, and she performed on the results show the next night.[51] She was also awarded a Platinum Certification for shipments of more than 100,000 copies of My December in Canada.[52] Clarkson also performed at the 2007 NFL opening kickoff where she sang the national anthem and performed songs from My December including "Never Again", "Maybe" and "Don't Waste Your Time".[53] Clarkson also performed in the halftime show for the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets game on Thanksgiving Day.[54]

My December was certified both gold and platinum on December 12, 2007, by the RIAA.[55] It has sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide.[56]

Clarkson performed during the festivities of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.[57]

On April 25, 2007, Clarkson appeared on Idol Gives Back and performed Patty Griffin's "Up to the Mountain". After the performance, the audience who watched Clarkson perform live gave her a standing ovation. American Idol judge Simon Cowell described her as "incredible", saying, "When you let her [Clarkson] come back on the show it makes everybody else look like an amateur."[58]

In addition to her roles as spokeswoman for the acne treatment Proactiv as well as Vitaminwater, Clarkson partnered with NASCAR for the 2007 season. She appeared in televised advertising spots, performed at pre-race concerts, promoted NASCAR Day, and appeared at the Champions' Banquet in December.[59] The August 2007 issue of Blender included a feature on Clarkson and her new album, as well as her music label woes[60] Clarkson also appeared at the NFL's opening night performance in Indianapolis for the kickoff of the new season.

Clarkson also performed at half-time during the 2007 Thanksgiving Day football game between the New York Jets and the Dallas Cowboys.[61]

On April 19, 2008, Clarkson participated in a Papal Youth Rally at the campus of St. Joseph's Seminary, Dunwoodie in Yonkers, New York performing a mini-concert for those in attendance. This was the Papal Visit of Pope Benedict XVI. She performed Schubert's "Ave Maria" for the Pope later in the day following the Pope's speech. Clarkson, raised a Baptist, was said to be honored by the invitation and appreciative of the rosary given to her and her band by the Pope, who were invited over by the Pope immediately following the performance for the rosary honor.[62]

Country music

Clarkson performed "What Hurts the Most", with Rascal Flatts, at ACM Awards in 2006 and returned again to sing a duet with Reba McEntire in 2007. This was her second performance on a country music award show, even though she is in the pop/rock genre. Along with her performance with Rascal Flatts, Clarkson also performed "Cigarettes", with the country duo The Wreckers during one of their shows in Texas.[63]

Building on her country music status, Clarkson and Reba McEntire recorded an hour-long CMT Crossroads special at Nashville's famed Ryman Auditorium on February 22, 2007. It aired on CMT and Palladia (then known as MHD) on June 24, 2007. Previously, Clarkson was a performer on CMT's Giants: Reba McEntire. where she sang McEntire's hit song "Why Haven't I Heard From You", introduced Dolly Parton, and later also sang Reba's hit "Does He Love You" with Martina McBride. Clarkson also appeared on an episode of McEntire's sitcom Reba, that aired on January 14, 2007.[64]

At the Academy of Country Music Awards on May 16, 2007, Clarkson and McEntire sang a duet of Clarkson's own 2005 single, "Because of You", which also became the lead single from McEntire's album of all-star duets.[65] The music video for this version of the song later debuted on June 20, 2007. This collaboration with McEntire earned Clarkson a CMA Award nomination for "Musical Event of the Year" in 2007 and a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Country Collaboration With Vocal" in 2008. Additionally, the song was featured on Now That's What I Call Country, which was released in August 2008.

Clarkson was a surprise guest at the 2007 CMA Music Festival in Nashville on June 7, 2007, where she performed "Does He Love You" and "Because of You" with Reba McEntire during the internationally-renowned annual event. The performance of "Because of You" was taped and aired as part of the "CMA Music Festival: Country's Night To Rock" television special that aired on ABC on July 23, 2007.[66]

On January 17, 2008, Clarkson embarked on the 2 Worlds, 2 Voices Tour 2008, a co-headlining tour with Reba McEntire.[5]

On May 18, 2008, Clarkson performed on stage at the Academy of Country Music Awards All-Star Jam with Reba McEntire and Ronnie Dunn of Brooks and Dunn.[67] The All-Star jam is the final event of the week taking place immediately after the awards show. Clarkson was not announced ahead of time for an appearance.

2009–present: All I Ever Wanted

Kelly Clarkson at the Women's World Award 2009 (Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria).

Clarkson's fourth album, All I Ever Wanted, was released March 10, 2009. During recording of the album, Clarkson worked closely with producer-songwriters Ryan Tedder, Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Howard Benson, among others. The album’s recording was completed on October 23, 2008. The first single off the album, "My Life Would Suck Without You", was sent to radio on January 13, 2009, and was available to download thereafter. The single first entered the Billboard Hot 100 at #97. The following week, the single shot to #1, breaking the record of largest leap to the top spot, formerly held by Britney Spears' "Womanizer" This marks the second time Clarkson has broken the record, her first being the American Idol victory ballad "A Moment Like This", which shot from #52 to #1 in 2002. In March 2009, Clarkson reached #1 in the UK singles chart with "My Life Would Suck Without You", and became Clarkson's first UK #1 single. In its first week of sales, it moved 255,000 copies in the USA, and debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200. The album sold 90,000 copies in its second week and remained at #1.[68] The album's second single is "I Do Not Hook Up." It was sent to U.S. Radio on April 14. It debuted in the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 at #20, entered the Billboard Hot 100 charts at #88, and has climbed to #20. In July 2009, "Already Gone", which already charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and Canadian Hot 100 at #70 early in 2009, was confirmed as the album's third single. The music video for the song premiered that month and the 32 date tour for North America was announced as well. The single drop date for North America was announced for August 11 2009.[69]."Already Gone" has peaked at #17 Billboard Hot 100.

Clarkson performed as one of many guests for the return of VH1 Divas on September 17 2009.[70]

Clarkson has been annouced as one of the Vh1 Save the Music Foundation ambassadors for 2009-2010. [71]

Clarkson gave an interview on MTV.com saying that she is currently writing songs for her fifth studio album, and hopes for a late 2010 release.[72]

Musicianship and artistry

Clarkson's vocal talents and abilities have been met with praise from critics and celebrities alike. On an interview with Good Morning America, Simon Cowell was asked of the six American Idol winners, who he thought had the best voice. Cowell immediately answered that Clarkson did "by a mile", noting that she was "up there" with other great singers such as Celine Dion.[73]

Reflecting back on Clarkson's performance during the Idol Gives Back special, Jeff Beck described Clarkson as having a "soul voice" that "demands attention"."[74]

After attending a rehearsal for American Idol's season six finale (in which Clarkson was scheduled to perform), Blender magazine described Clarkson's voice as follows:[75]

"The Texas native has one of the great voices in pop music, a powerful and versatile instrument that's steeped in the rhythm and blues and country music she grew up with in the South. If Mariah Carey's five-octave voice is the equivalent of an expensively bred poodle, then Clarkson's is a bloodhound: friendly, earthy, but fierce just the same."

Arion Berger of Rolling Stone has said of Clarkson that "her high notes are sweet and pillowy, her growl is bone-shaking and sexy, and her midrange is amazingly confident for a pop posy whose career is tied for eternity to the whims of her American Idol overlords."[76]

Dr. Luke, a songwriter and producer of some Clarkson's hits stated that "She has powerful lungs. She's like the Lance Armstrong of vocal cords."[77]

Discography

Filmography

(acting roles only)[4]

Year Title Role Episode
2002 Sabrina the Teenage Witch as an extra (uncredited) The Whole Ball Of Wax
That 80's Show as an extra (uncredited) Valentine's Day (S1, Ep2)
Issues 101 Crystal (as an extra) Theatrical Film
MADtv Herself / Skits Season 8, Ep 1
2003 From Justin to Kelly Kelly Taylor Theatrical Film
American Dreams Brenda Lee And Promises To Keep
2004 American Dreams Brenda Lee Tidings of Comfort and Joy
King of the Hill Herself / Dawn Stressed For Success
2005 Saturday Night Live Herself / Skits / Musical Guest Host - Jason Bateman
Damage Control Herself Season 1, Ep. 1
2007 Reba Kelly As We Forgive Those
2009 Saturday Night Live[78] Herself / Musical Guest Host - Tracy Morgan

American Idol season 1 performances and results

Week # Theme Song choice Original artist Order # Result
Audition N/A "Express Yourself"
"At Last"
Madonna
Etta James
N/A Advanced
Top 121 Hollywood round 1 "Respect" Aretha Franklin N/A Advanced
Top 65 Hollywood round 2 "I Say a Little Prayer" Dionne Warwick N/A Advanced
Top 45 Hollywood round 3 "Save The Best For Last" Vanessa L. Williams N/A Advanced
Top 30 Semifinal/Group 2 "Respect" Aretha Franklin 9 Safe
Top 10 Motown "You're All I Need to Get By" Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell 8 Safe
Top 8 1960s "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" Aretha Franklin 5 Safe
Top 7 1970s "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" Aretha Franklin 5 Safe
Top 6 Big Band "Stuff Like That There" Betty Hutton 6 Safe
Top 5 Burt Bacharach Love Songs "Walk on By" Dionne Warwick 1 Safe
Top 4 1980s
1990s
"It's Raining Men"
"I Surrender"
The Weather Girls
Celine Dion
3
7
Safe
Top 3 Judges' Choice
Idol's Choice
"Without You"
"Think Twice"
Badfinger
Celine Dion
3
6
Safe
Top 2 Finale "A Moment Like This"
"Respect"
"Before Your Love"
Kelly Clarkson
Aretha Franklin
Kelly Clarkson
2
4
6
Winner

Tours

Awards

References

  1. ^ Mansfield, Brian. What's Hannah Montana doing in the American Idol sales report? content.usatoday.com. July 15, 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
  2. ^ Pietroluongo, Silvio; Jonathan Cohen (2009-01-29). "Kelly Clarkson Breaks Record For Hot 100 Jump". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/kelly-clarkson-breaks-record-for-hot-100-1003935142.story. Retrieved 2009-03-20. 
  3. ^ Pietroluongo, Silvio (2009-01-28). "Clarkson single's long leap sets chart record". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/musicNews/idUSTRE50R7LV20090128. Retrieved 2009-03-20. 
  4. ^ a b "Kelly Clarkson @ The Internet Movie Database" IMDb. Retrieved 2009-07-27
  5. ^ a b "Reba McEntire & Kelly Clarkson Team Up For Tour" starpulse.com. Retrieved 2009-07-27
  6. ^ "Burleson is already 'Idol'-izing homegrown hopeful". The Dallas Morning News. August 20, 2002. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F58E41C2E004A41&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved February 2, 2009. "[...] while Ms. Taylor has remained in Texas with her second husband, contractor Jimmy Taylor" 
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  8. ^ a b Kelly Clarkson - Single-Minded: Cords of Steel | Artists | Reader's Digest
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  15. ^ Beach Bummer people.com. (2003) Retrieved 2009-08-23.
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  18. ^ "Kelly Clarkson's record label and songwriters deny she had a recording deal before American Idol". RealityTVWorld.com. Retrieved February 25, 2006.
  19. ^ http://www.last.fm/music/Kelly+Clarkson/_/My+Life+Would+Suck+Without+You
  20. ^ Chart Watch Extra: The American Idol Alumni Association - Chart Watch
  21. ^ SonyMusicStore.com. Thankful: 04/15/03. Retrieved February 23, 2006.
  22. ^ Paulsen, Wade. Kelly Clarkson's Thankful certified double platinum in U.S. December 29, 2003. Retrieved February 23, 2006.
  23. ^ CRIA certification. Album certifications for week ending February 10, 2004. Retrieved February 23, 2006.
  24. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Allmusic review. ["Anybody older than 18..."]. Retrieved February 23, 2006.
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  26. ^ Hollywood.com. Nominations for the 46th annual Grammy Awards. Retrieved February 24, 2006.
  27. ^ SonyMusicStore.com. Breakaway: 11/30/04, yielded five U.S. top ten singles and won two Grammy Awards.
  28. ^ Graham, Adam. Big comebacks, small triumphs. DetroitNews.com. Retrieved March 4, 2006.
  29. ^ KellyClarkson.ca. Breakaway is 5x platinum. January 11, 2006. Retrieved March 4, 2006.
  30. ^ CRIA certification. And is now 11x platinum worldwide. Album certifications for week ending September 29, 2005. Retrieved March 4, 2006.
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  32. ^ S., Ryan. TeenInk. Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson. Retrieved March 3, 2006.
  33. ^ Merwin, Charles. Stylus. February 17, 2005. Retrieved April 21, 2006.
  34. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Allmusic review. ["Clarkson may be a fine ballad singer..."]. Retrieved March 4, 2006.
  35. ^ 48th annual Grammy Award winners. Grammy.com. Retrieved March 4, 2006.
  36. ^ Premiere Radio Networks, Inc (2006-12-21). "Mediabase Announces 2006 Radio Airplay Leaders". Press release. Archived from the original on 2007-03-19. http://web.archive.org/web/20070319151546/http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/061221/lath017.html?.v=86. 
  37. ^ Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (2006-01-16). "Phonographic Performance Company of Australia announces most played artists". Press release. http://www.ppca.com.au/news-2006mostbroadcast.htm. 
  38. ^ Lamb, Bill (2005-06-09). "Will Smith, Kelly Clarkson, Alanis Morissette, Stevie Wonder Entertain At NBA Finals". About.com. http://top40.about.com/b/2005/06/09/will-smith-kelly-clarkson-alanis-morissette-stevie-wonder-entertain-at-nba-finals.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-20. 
  39. ^ Desens, Krista Desens. "Kelly Clarkson To Final Four Fest". Mix 103 FM. http://www.mix103fm.com/nmc/news/7585.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-20. 
  40. ^ "Addicted to Kelly" Fordvehicles.com. Retrieved 2009-07-27 (article archived).
  41. ^ "Kelly Clarkson // Journal". Archived from the original on 2007-12-11. http://web.archive.org/web/20071211094946/http://www.kellyclarkson.com/main.php?content=journal. 
  42. ^ Burriel, Raul (2007-05-24). "A Dose of Reality: American Idol 6: Finale Results". The Trades. http://www.the-trades.com/article.php?id=5578. Retrieved 2009-03-20. 
  43. ^ Finn, Natalie (2007-06-12). "Kelly Clarkson's Management Breakaway". E! Online. http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b55379_Kelly_Clarksons_Management_Breakaway.html. Retrieved 2009-03-20. 
  44. ^ "Clarkson signs with Starstruck Entertainment". Billboard. 2007-07-02. http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/genre/e3i3e0073a4a0b853546c4e40e3a4c3f9ae. Retrieved 2007-07-02. 
  45. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Pulls Plug On Summer Tour as Ticket Sales Fall Flat". Rolling Stone. 2007-06-14. http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2007/06/14/kelly-clarkson-pulls-plug-on-summer-tour-as-ticket-sales-fall-flat/. Retrieved 2009-03-20. 
  46. ^ Cohen, Jonathan (2007-09-04). "Kelly Clarkson Unveils Fall Tour Plans". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2007-12-11. http://web.archive.org/web/20071211073323/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003634356. Retrieved 2009-03-20. 
  47. ^ Good Morning America Concert
  48. ^ Cohen, Jonathan (2007-07-04). "Cyrus Sidesteps Clarkson To Debut At No. 1". Billboard.. Archived from the original on 2007-12-11. http://web.archive.org/web/20071211073222/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003607217. Retrieved 2009-03-20. 
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  50. ^ Live Earth on MSN: The Concerts For A Climate In Crisis
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  52. ^ http://kckellyville.com/media/details.php?image_id=1033
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  55. ^ Which was far less than Breakaway, leaving fans disappointed.RIAA
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  57. ^ Lamb, Bill (2006-01-30). "Winter Olympics Concerts: Kelly Clarkson, Whitney Houston, Avril Lavigne, and More". About.com. http://top40.about.com/b/2006/01/30/winter-olympics-concerts-kelly-clarkson-whitney-houston-avril-lavigne-and-more.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-20. 
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  60. ^ Marks, Craig (2007-08). "Kelly Clarkson and the Bubble Gum Machine". Blender. http://www.blender.com/guide/68780/kelly-clarkson-bubble-gum-machine.html?src=ad169. Retrieved 2009-03-20. 
  61. ^ MacMahon, Tim (2007-11-23). "Pride of Burleson has had better performances". Dallas News. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/football/cowboys/stories/112307dnspomacmahon.2c5e029.html. Retrieved 2009-03-20. 
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  64. ^ "Reba" As We Forgive Those... (2007) imdb.com. January 14, 2007 (Season 6, Episode 8). Retrieved 2009-08-13.
  65. ^ Kelly and Reba to Duet at Academy of Country Music Awards
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  67. ^ Performers Announced for the Academy of Country Music Awards Telecast movieweb.com. April 13th, 2007. Retrieved 2009-08-13.
  68. ^ Caulfield, Keith (2009-03-18). "Kelly Clarkson Tops Billboard 200". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/kelly-clarkson-tops-billboard-200-1003952562.story. Retrieved 2009-03-20. 
  69. ^ ®R&R :: Going For Adds™ :: CHR/Top 40
  70. ^ 'VH1 Divas' Returns After a Four-Year Hiatus With Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis, and Miley Cyrus Press release. July 21, 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
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  72. ^ Kelly Clarkson Says Next Album Will Be 'Really Different MTV.com
  73. ^ Simon Cowell: The Full Interview - ABC News abcnews.go.com.(video) Retrieved 2009-08-13.
  74. ^ Rocchio, Christopher. Original 'Idol' Kelly Clarkson "could give a crap about being a star" Reality TV World. June 11, 2007. Retrieved 2009-08-13.
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  76. ^ Kelly Clarkson: Thankful : Music Reviews Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2009-08-13.
  77. ^ Kaufman, Gil Kelly Clarkson's New Single Could Recapture Her 'Since U Been Gone' Glory, Producer Says VH1.com. Retrieved 2009-08-13.
  78. ^ Saturday Night Live — March 14 2009, NBC

External links

Preceded by
None
American Idol winner
Kelly Clarkson (2002)
Succeeded by
Ruben Studdard


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Who2 Biography. Copyright © 1998-2008 by Who2, LLC. All rights reserved. See the Kelly Clarkson biography from Who2.  Read more
Artist. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Kelly Clarkson" Read more