This latest list of Kelly Clarkson’s best Kelloke performances goes to prove that this woman can sing anything you put in front of her. Viewers were first introduced to Kelly all those years ago, in 2002. At that time, Kelly was just a girl from Texas looking to see if she had what it took to make it in the business. Surprisingly, Simon Cowell didn’t hate her, so she had that going for her.
With her smash hit ‘Since U Been Gone’ in 2004, which I definitely blasted from by red Volkswagen Jetta, she has become a household name. Kelly has since moved to the daytime arena with her daily talk show. But she hasn’t forgotten her roots and always has a song or two to sing to her audience. With her bubbly personality and crooning ability, we just can’t get enough of our American Idol.
‘Beautiful Things’ by Benson Boone
Benson Boone went from American idol to opening up for Taylor Swift so the man is clearly having a moment. Benson shocked fans when he quit the singing contest because, as he said on the Zach Zang Show, he “wanted to do music. I decided that I wanted to do music, and I don’t want people to be like, ‘Oh, Benson Boone. American Idol blew him up.’” I think it is safe to say you made it if your songs are being covered by the Queen of American Idol, Ms. Kelly.
Kelly brought raw emotion to the song, which has me shedding a few tears. The TV host performed a beautiful glissando while belting out notes. Kelly has a way of always showing her vocal strength without ever going over the top.
‘Bird Set Free’ by Sia
Sia is one of the best in the business. When she sings, her cracks give me chills up my spine, and the lyrics she presents often mean something to a world that is struggling to find the good some days. There is something about Sia that makes her truly one of a kind. So when Kelly chose to cover her song, I was impressed. I was also happy we got to see Kelly’s face since she wasn’t exactly nervous in front of a crowd. It would be wonderful if Kelly and Sia could figure out a duet because both are vocal Gods!
‘Blown Away’ by Carrie Underwood
I love Carrie Underwood. I’ll be honest: Kelly and Carrie were the two contestants I knew were going to win American Idol from their first audition. Both have such raw talent that it was hard to ignore the star power within them. So I was pleasantly surprised when I heard Kelly sing a tribute to one of Carrie’s songs. Both have the perfect country twang. But don’t be fooled; the song has a nice rock feel that will have you tapping your foot in no time. The ease of the performance had me blown away.
‘Babylon’ by David Gray
The British singer has been around before Kelly probably knew she could sing. But she did David Grey justice when performing ‘Babylon.’ I appreciate Kelly’s ability to tell a tale through her singing. She engulfs herself and listeners in a melodic bubble that you don’t want to pop. I was so enraptured by this tune that I almost didn’t notice it ended. I could have done with an encore if I am being honest.
‘Flowers’ by Miley Cyrus
I said it once, and I’ll say it again: I love Miley Cyrus. ‘Flowers’ ended 2023 as the fourth most streamed video and the second best-selling digital track, so I needed Kelly to do her take on the iconic song. Both women have experienced terrible breakups which captured the theme of the lyrics. Kelly’s personal rifts added a sweet jazz feel that lifted the song into another realm.
So again, we have gone on a musical journey with Kelly, and it only leaves me wanting more!
TELL US — WHAT SONGS WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR KELLY SING FOR NEXT TIME?