Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson on the January 2006 cover of Seventeen.

Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24 1982 in Fort Worth, Texas) is an American singer-songwriter, who won the first season of American Idol, and has since gone on to have a successful recording career. Clarkson has attained six top-ten United States singles, four in the UK, five in Australia and seven in Canada. Her albums Thankful and Breakaway have made it into the top-three of the U.S. albums charts, and the top-ten of the Canadian albums chart, with the latter having sold over six million copies worldwide.

Biography and music career

Early life

Clarkson was born in Fort Worth, Texas to Stephen Michael Clarkson and Jeanne Ann Rose. She eventually moved to Burleson, Texas after fourth grade. In middle school, she was overheard singing in a school corridor by a teacher, who invited her to join the school choir. Her participation in choral and musical activities spurred her interest in a recording career and, following her high school graduation, she relocated to Los Angeles, California.

Clarkson worked as an extra on television (one such appearance was on Sabrina the Teenage Witch), had a small role in the 2002 film Issues 101, and worked briefly with songwriter Gerry Goffin. After her Los Angeles apartment burned down, however, she moved back to Texas, discouraged but still intent on a career in show business. She still managed some odd jobs such as cocktail waitress, Red Bull promo girl, and telemarketer.

American Idol competition

Clarkson auditioned for American Idol along with ten thousand other people in 2002. Impressed by her performance, the panel of judges put her through to the next round. Upon landing a final thirty spot, Clarkson was praised by the judges for her rendition of Aretha Franklin's "Respect". She moved on to the final ten, receiving a number two spot in her group. Once in the top ten, Clarkson gradually moved into the position of competition favorite, performing songs such as Carole King's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", Mariah Carey's "Without You" and Bette Midler's "Stuff Like That There".

On September 4 2002, Clarkson won the competition, earning 58% of the audience vote over Justin Guarini, who had previously been leading. As the newly crowned "American Idol", Clarkson performed the ballad "A Moment Like This". Clarkson, Clay Aiken of season two and Carrie Underwood of season four were the only contestants in American Idol history who succeeded in staying out of the bottom three places in weekly voting results. Clarkson and Underwood both went on to win the competition, while Aiken became runner-up.

Thankful

File:Kelly Clarkson Thankful.jpg

Clarkson on the cover of her first album Thankful (2003).

Clarkson's first single, "A Moment Like This", was released in October 2002 and quickly became a number one hit in the U.S. and Canada, and was eventually certified platinum by the RIAA for shipments of over one million copies. Her debut album, Thankful, was released by RCA Records on April 15 2003, and was certified double platinum in the U.S. the following month (and platinum in Canada), but sold poorly in the UK. Thankful, which included four tracks co-written by Clarkson, received good reviews, though criticised Clarkson's music for being too commercial. All Music Guide wrote of Clarkson and the album: "Throughout this record, she makes it seem effortless and charming. [Clarkson] can croon, she can belt out a song, she can be sexy and sassy while still being graceful and as wholesome as the girl next door".^[1]

The album's second single, "Miss Independent" (which was co-written by Clarkson and Christina Aguilera), was a top ten hit in the U.S., Canada and the UK, but subsequent singles "Low" and "The Trouble with Love Is" were far less successful, confirming speculation amongst music critics that "A Moment Like This" and "Miss Independent" were fluke hits; they wrote her off as an Idol product and said that she would be incapable of establishing her indepedence in the music industry.

In December 2003, Clarkson participated in the World Idol competition, eventually placing second to Norwegian Idol winner Kurt Nilsen. In 2004, Clarkson received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Miss Independent". Later in 2004, Clarkson embarked on the thirty-city "Independent Tour" with fellow Idol contestant Clay Aiken.

Film and television

Clarkson starred with fellow American Idol contestant Justin Guarini in the film From Justin to Kelly, which was released in the summer of 2003. The film received weak reviews, with some critics naming it one of the worst films ever made, and was a box office disaster. The two stars revealed that their work in the film was stipulated in their Idol contracts. In September 2003, Clarkson appeared NBC's American Dreams as Brenda Lee, and performed the song, "Sweet Nothings".

Breakaway

In the summer of 2004, Clarkson returned to the music industry with the single "Breakaway", from the film The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, which became her biggest hit in the U.S. since her debut single. It preceded Clarkson's pop rock, Adult contemporary and rock and roll–influenced second album, Breakaway, released in the U.S. on November 30 2004. Clarkson, who co-wrote over half of the album's tracks with songwriters and producers such as Max Martin, singer Avril Lavigne, and former Evanescence band members Ben Moody and David Hodges, categorized the album as being in the pop rock genre, unlike Thankful. Breakaway received praise from critics, who noted its harder, more rock and roll-flavored edge, one that invited comparisons to Avril Lavigne. Breakaway received a U.S. certification of quadruple platinum in November 2005 (four million albums shipped), and became her first platinum album in the UK (later receiving the double platinum award). The album was certified triple platinum in Canada and five times platinum in Australia. One full year after its release, it has not left the top-twenty of the U.S. Billboard 200. In 2005, Clarkson was named by Teen People Magazine as one of the "Hottest 25 Stars Under 25", and received two Grammy Award nominations for for Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance with "Since U Been Gone".

The album's second single, "Since U Been Gone", peaked at number two on the U.S. Hot 100 (and was successful on the majority of Billboard formats), was a top five single in the UK, reached number one in Canada, and has become Clarkson's biggest hit to date. Subsequent singles "Behind These Hazel Eyes" and "Because of You" both reached the U.S. top ten and the Canadian top five, and the latter was one of the most requested songs on teen radio in 2005. With "Because of You", Clarkson became the first pop artist since Christina Aguilera to have four top-ten hits from the same album. In Canada, Clarkson became one of the few international artists to have four top-five hits from the same album. "Walk Away" will be the fifth single from Breakaway, and is slated to be released in January 2006. "Addicted" has been rumored to be released as a single of the album and it stil being considered as a release as a 6th and most likely the final single of "Breakaway". "Gone" is slated for a single release in Australia in 2006, although a date has yet to be confirmed.

Discography

Album information
Thankful Released: April 15 2003 (North America) Chart positions: #1 U.S., #1 CAN, #30 AUS, #52 UK U.S. sales: 2.3 million Worldwide sales: 3 million Certifications: 2x platinum (RIAA — U.S.), platinum (CRIA — Canada), gold (ARIA — Australia) Singles: 2002: "A Moment Like This" ¹ — #1 U.S. (Platinum), #1 CAN (2x platinum) 2003: "Miss Independent" — #9 U.S. (Gold), #6 CAN, #3 AUS, #6 UK 2003: "Low" — #58 U.S., #2 CAN, #11 AUS 2003: "The Trouble with Love Is" ² — #101 U.S., #35 UK, #11 AUS ¹ Released in the U.S. as a double A-side with "Before Your Love". ² Released in the UK as a double A-side with "Low".
Breakaway Released: November 30, 2004 (North America) Chart positions: #3 U.S., #6 CAN, #2 AUS, #6 UK, #5 NZ, #4 IRE, #13 SWE U.S. sales: 4 million Worldwide sales: 6.238 million Certifications: 5x platinum (Australia), 4x platinum (U.S.), 3x platinum (Canada), 2x platinum (UK, New Zealand, Ireland), platinum (South Africa, Indonesia, Singapore), gold (Sweden) Singles: 2004: "Breakaway" — #6 U.S., #3 CAN, #10 AUS, #12 NZ 2004: "Since U Been Gone" — #2 U.S., #1 CAN, #3 AUS, #5 UK, #11 NZ, #1 SA 2005: "Behind These Hazel Eyes" — #6 U.S., #4 CAN, #6 AUS, #9 UK, #2 SA, #9 NZ 2005: "Because of You" — #7 U.S., #2 CAN, #4 AUS, #7 UK, #5 IRE, #29 NZ 2006: "Walk Away" (to be released January 18, 2006) 2006: "Gone" (Australia) 2006: "Addicted" (Possibility to be released after Walk Away/Gone, 6th and final single)

Concert tours

Awards and nominations

Notes

^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. All Music Guide. Retrieved Nov. 27, 2005.

External links

Preceded by None	American Idol Winners Season 1 (2002)	Succeeded by Ruben Studdard