All about this artist
Biography:
Born Kelly Brianne Clarkson, 24 April 1982, Burleson, Texas, USA. According to pop legend, Kelly Clarkson's early attempts to launch her music career foundered when she was turned down by almost every US record label for sounding "too black". Nevertheless, in September 2002 this former cocktail waitress had her revenge when she won the first series of American Idol, the US equivalent of the highly successful UK show Pop Idol.
As the auditions whittled down the 10,000 singers who hoped to earn fame and riches via performances on US television screens, Clarkson made herself conspicuous with an immense and powerful voice, to earn a (probably deserved) place in the show's hotly contested final.
Singing two songs written especially for this decisive round, "A Moment Like This" and "Before Your Love" (both of which featured in new versions as bonus tracks on her debut, Thankful), she earned 58% of the vote to secure victory over rival Justin Guarini and grasp the show's prize of a $1 million recording contract with RCA Records.
Clarkson's contract led to bookings that included the American Idol Tour and a risible cash-in movie in which she co-starred alongside Guarini. Two weeks after her American Idol victory, Clarkson released "A Moment Like This" and the single duly racked up platinum sales in debuting at the top of the US charts.
The singer's subsequent album, Thankful, mixed R&B and slow ballads. Like fellow Texan artist Beyoncé, Clarkson has a background in the church, that emerged in the phrasing of songs such as "The Trouble With Love Is' (the album's opening track).
Clarkson co-wrote four of the albums" tracks, including the hit single "Miss Independent", written in collaboration with Christina Aguilera. Clarkson explained, "It's about getting back up after you've been burned. It's about knowing you can achieve things on your own but still let others in.
" Despite such protestations of independence, however, much of Clarkson's charm and quirkiness was subsumed on the album under a glossy and sickly veneer. In January 2004, winning entrants from 11 countries who had hosted Pop Idol contests were matched at the inaugral World Idol competition.
Clarkson performed strongly- she seemed more like a pop star than most - but was beaten into second place by Norway's Kurt Nilsen, who was judged to look like a Hobbit but have the voice of an angel. Her second album Breakaway was released later in the year.
The title track bounced into the US Top 10 thanks, in no small part, to its inclusion in the movie The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. The album also included the worldwide hits "Since U Been Gone", "Behind These Hazel Eyes" and "Because Of You".
The release of Clarkson's third album was dogged by controversy, with the singer falling out with her record label over her desire to pursue a more rock-orientated approach. Clarkson stood her ground and My December was finally released in June 2007.
