From American Idol to pop-country queen

Like most artists in the public eye, Kelly Clarkson’s music and personality are pretty intertwined.

Adored by the public for her wholesome image and real vocal talent, Kelly was immediately embraced by pop fans during her time on American Idol. Here was a star with a technically impressive vocal range, rare songwriting chops, and an unmatched ability to churn out inspirational pop anthems.

Plus, at a time when the music industry was intent on selling highly sexualised pop stars to the masses, Clarkson stayed true to her family-friendly image and sweet, charismatic persona.

Back on America’s TV screens

Clarkson started her career on a TV talent show, showing them to be a viable gateway into music. Given her unprecedented success and genuine musical talent, it makes sense that she would return to the screen as a coach on The Voice.

A firm favourite with the American public, Kelly even went on to host her own daytime talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, where she interviews famous guests and performs covers of popular songs.

What genre is Kelly Clarkson?

Well, that’s a great question. A rather impressive achievement of Kelly Clarkson’s is her ability to seamlessly blend and move between genres without it being a major point of discussion amongst fans and critics. It doesn’t take the attention away from her music, which always aligns with her confident yet emotional “Kelly Clarkson” personality regardless of the style, topic, or genre of song.

This has made it easy for Clarkson to accumulate fans that typically listen to genres such as pop, country, rock, and dance. As for her country music credentials, Clarkson has won two Academy of Country Music Awards.

Plus, when she and Aldean performed “Don’t You Wanna Stay” live at the 2010 CMA Awards, it reached no.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. With a track record of performing heartfelt duets with country music stars (just watch her duet with Blake Shelton of his song “Austin”), it’s clear Kelly has a deep appreciation of the genre.

Kelly Clarkson’s personal life

Kelly Clarkson is well known not only for her powerful voice but also for her kind heart. Throughout her career, she has been an outspoken advocate for animal rights, and she has put her money where her mouth is by opening a ranch in Texas that provides a safe haven for unwanted animals.

In addition to her work with animals, Kelly is also a devoted mother to her two young children, born in 2014 and 2016. She recently stepped down from being a coach on The Voice to focus on spending quality time with her family.

She married talent manager, Brandon Blackstock, at a luxury Tennessee estate in 2013 but filed for divorce in 2020. Why did Kelly Clarkson get divorced? Well, it seemed the COVID-19 pandemic took its toll, and Clarkson cited the divorce was down to “irreconcilable differences”.

Pop legacy

An appearance on American Idol doesn’t guarantee success. Kelly Clarkson showed the world that she didn’t just get lucky when she won the show. She had the talent and determination to truly ‘make it’ in one of the most ruthless industries out there.

Kelly Clarkson is a soprano and her vocal range spans from E♭3 to G6 . She can even hit the whistle register, an impressive ability commonly associated with singers like Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande. A true master of her vocal abilities, she is praised by critics for her incredibly versatile voice that never seems to strain. She can handle high, mid, and low notes with ease and injects a soulful personality into her voice. Esquire even wrote that Clarkson has “the best voice in the history of pop music”.

Claiming that she has never and will never lip sync, Kelly Clarkson is a genuine talent in a show-biz world rife with fakery and deception. It’s safe to say that she set the standard for all other American Idol contestants after season one. Since Clarkson’s success in the noughties, a host of young pop stars have credited her as an inspiration — including Demi Lovato and Jordin Sparks.