In just ten weeks, Kelly Clarkson went from unknown-struggling artist to
a household name. All because of Fox’s show, American Idol: The Search
for a Superstar. Kelly Brianne Clarkson was born on April 24, 1982 in
Burleson, Texas. When she was thirteen years old, she was approached by
a teacher in her middle school (Pauline Hughes Middle School) about
joining the choir; after she was heard singing in the hallway. After
high school, Kelly moved to Hollywood, hoping to become famous. While in
Los Angeles, she sent out demo tapes to recording companies and looked
for perspective jobs. After appearing as an extra on the WB’s Sabrina,
The Teenage Witch, her apartment burnt down. Kelly has no choice but to
return home. After getting back to Texas, she worked as a cocktail
waitress at a comedy club in Arlington, Texas.
In 2002, after encouragement from friends, Kelly tried out for Fox’s new
show, American Idol: The Search for a Superstar. Kelly performed live
every week for ten weeks with an estimated 25 million viewers. During
the show, she performed hits such as: “Respect,” “Natural Woman,” and “Without
You.” Her powerful voice and sweet personality made her a favorite
among voters. On the final show, Kelly performed “A Moment Like This,” a
song written especially for American Idol. Clarkson became the first ‘American
Idol’ with 58 percent of the votes. After American Idol, Kelly received
the show’s prize of a one million dollar recording contract with RCA
Records. She also signed a deal with Creative Artists Agency. Kelly then
went on the seven week national American Idol Tour. On September 11,
2002 Kelly sang the National Anthem in front of the Lincoln Memorial in
Washington DC. She released her first single, “A Moment Like This,” two
weeks after winning the title, ‘American Idol.’ The single reached
number one on the Billboard charts in just one week.
Although she became a superstar, Kelly opted not to move to L.A. or New
York. Rather, she remained in Texas. In 2003 she released her self-titled,
debut album. Her first single, “Miss Independent,” received wide notice
and acclaim. In April of the same year, Kelly debuted in her first film
with Idol runner-up, Justin Guarini. The movie, From Justin to Kelly,
was a musical about two teens (Justin and Kelly) who fall in love while
on Spring Break in Miami. The character’s romance gets sidetracked when
their friends get in the way. Although the movie was not a blockbuster
success, Kelly still remains a respected and known artist. Her
influences are: Bette Midler, Reba McIntyre, Gwen Stefani, Aerosmith.
Bio written by: bandhunt |
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