Who would
have guessed that small
town sweetheart Kelly Clarkson
would eventually grow up
and become one of America's
brightest stars?
Certainly,
not Kelly!
As a child
growing up in Burleson,
Texas, singing was far from
her choice career.
Kelly
wanted to become a marine
biologist.
Lucky
for the rest of the world,
she quickly changed her
mind upon seeing "Jaws,"
because it was only a matter
of time before her true
talent and passion were
unveiled for the rest of
the world to see.
Kelly's
innate singing ability was
first discovered in 7th
grade after her junior high
choral director heard her
singing in the school hallway
and encouraged her to sign
up for the school choir.
Up until that point, Kelly
was considering joining
the band!
Kelly
immersed herself in choral
activities throughout high
school, starring in musicals
("Brigadoon"),
performing overseas, and
earning top honors as a
member of the Texas All-State
Choir.
Upon graduation,
Kelly solidified her committment
to music, working numerous
jobs to finance her demo
CD and market herself to
record labels. Frustrated
with the lack of results
and unopened mail, she made
her way to Los Angeles along
with a friend, hoping for
the best.
While
in L.A., she found odd jobs
to help make ends meet and
wound up getting a role
as an extra on Sabrina the
Teenage Witch.
After
answering a newspaper ad,
she coincidentally hooked
up with famed songwriter
Gerry Goffin (("You
Make Me Feel Like A) Natural
Woman") through a mutual
friend and began recording
vocal demos of his songs.
Little did Kelly know that
the same song Goffin was
famous for, would later
provide her with a moment
of clarity as she worked
to achieve her dream.
Kelly's
stay in Los Angeles was
tragically cut short after
Goffin grew ill, her apartment
burned down, and her car
got towed. Both emotionally
and financially, Kelly was
drained.
She turned
home to recuperate and re-energize
herself before heading back
to L.A. Shortly thereafter,
her best friend, Jessica,
presented her with paperwork
for American Idol, FOX Television's
national talent search competition/television
show.
Already
jaded from an earlier stint
on the WB's Popstars, Kelly
was semi-reluctant, but
signed the paperwork and
went to the audition, hoping
for the best.
Before
you could say "You're
going to Hollywood,"
Kelly was there.
After
dozens of auditions, she
found herself centerstage,
among the top 30 contestants,
and live on national television.
Belting
out an energized rendition
of Aretha Franklin's "Respect,"
she captured the hearts
(and votes) of people from
all over the United States
and advanced to the top
10 finals.
Week after
week, Kelly quietly gained
ground, rising above the
competition, enduring a
whirlwind promotional calendar,
in addition to the responsibility
of preparing live performances
every week.
She was
later provided with moment
of clarity toward the middle
of the competition.
When asked
what the greatest thing
to come out of the American
Idol experience was, Kelly
said, "the best moment
for me was when I realized
that I actually really wanted
this. This is a public life
now, and I wasn't sure if
I wanted to do that part
of it...The defining point
was during my performance
of "Natural Woman."
I was on stage and the crowd
was just going crazy, and
I was like, I think I can
do this."
It may
have took Kelly a while
to realize that she could
handle it, but the American
public showed no hesitation
in casting their votes and
naming Kelly Clarkson their
American Idol on September
4, 2002.
Moments
later, she took to the stage
for an emotional performance
of her first single, "A
Moment Like This,"
capping off the competition
and reminding millions of
viewers why they tuned into
the show week after week--to
watch people's dreams come
true: "Oh I can't believe
it's happening to me/Some
people wait a lifetime for
a moment like this."
On October
5th, 2002, "A Moment
Like This," shot straight
from No. 52 to No. 1 on
the Billboard charts, eclipsing
the 38-year record of "biggest
leap to No. 1," previously
held by the Beatles' "Can't
Buy Me Love," which
went from No. 27 to No.
1 in 1964.
Her full-length
solo debut is slated for
March 4, 2003, and already,
Kelly is attracting famed
songwriters and producers
like Diane Warren and the
team of Jimmy Jam &
Terry Lewis (Janet Jackson,
Mariah Carey). Kelly also
has a desire to showcase
her songwriting skills on
her solo album as well.
A No.
1 song, legions of fans,
and an inner-drive that
is unparalleled, Kelly Clarkson
is on her way.