Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson stepped into the spotlight as the first American Idol winner ever with a booming voice and sweet demeanor that charmed a whole nation. Since then, Clarkson has stepped back into Americans' living rooms with her hit daytime television show, The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Both Clarkson and American Idol captivated audiences in 2002 with the inaugural season of the talent-based reality television. After winning the public vote, the Texan signed to RCA Records and received her first Number One single with "A Moment Like This." Her 2003 debut album Thankful was an instant success and saw Clarkson delve into R&B and gospel tones.

For her follow-up, Clarkson moved towards a more pop-rock direction that she employed for future albums and saw even more massive success. 2004's Breakaway generated hits like the title track and break-up anthem "Since U Been Gone" that have remained in the cultural consciousness for the past two decades.

The singer continued to release albums with radio-ready earworms and cemented herself as a superstar entertainer. In 2019, she even had plans to host a Las Vegas residency before the coronavirus pandemic shut the world down. That same year, Clarkson began hosting her own talk show: The Kelly Clarkson Show. On the show, Clarkson continues to incorporate music with her now-famous "Kellyoke" segment in which she covers other artist's songs with her wide-ranging vocals.

The Kelly Clarkson Show is in its fourth season and garners a reported 1.37 million average daily viewers. More than two decades into her career, Clarkson continues to reach new heights. — Maya Georgi