After winning the first season of American Idol, Kelly Clarkson shot to fame and never looked back. While her vocal talents carried her, she also had a knack for talking, which helped since now she has been given her own talk show. The Grammy Award winner’s daytime show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, is full of heart, humor, and connections. Kelly has interviewed some of the biggest stars and had fun doing it. Of course, the show wouldn’t be complete without some singing, so let’s take a look at some of Kelly’s best Kellyoke performances.
‘Edge of Midnight’ by Miley Cyrus ft. Stevie Nicks
Now, Stevie Nicks and Miley Cyrus are two of the biggest women in the business, so having them collaborate on Edge of Midnight was everything. The song is edgy with rock vibes, and Kelly hits the notes perfectly. Kelly gave me the chills as she brought me right back to her time on American Idol. The high note at 1:28 is earth-shattering. I could listen to this cover over and over again.
‘Over the Rainbow’ by Judy Garland
Not everyone can sing a song first released in 1938. But Kelly did Judy Garland justice as she did her best to channel the Wizard of Oz star. After many, many covers, this is the best rendition I have come across. Kelly’s song effortlessly left a beautiful smile behind on fans’ faces. This version of Over the Rainbow is in its purest form, with no lyric changes and no extra big belts. Kelly performs a vulnerable cover with nothing but her voice.
‘Somebody Like You’ by Keith Urban
Returning to her country roots isn’t hard, especially when covering a Keith Urban song. The Texan-born daytime show host embraced her twang and made sure to make everyone who was listening feel good. It’s a summer bop you can easily have playing in the backyard. With this Kellyoke, Kelly is proving she can own any song put in front of her. Now I’m going to need a Kelly and Keith duet, stat!
‘1985’ by Bowling for Soup
Not to date myself, but I grew up with this song as a teenager. Bowling for Soup would be proud of Kelly’s version as she poured her soul into this cover. The American Idol winner channeled her inner pop pink goddess with an off-the-shoulder black bardot top and jeans. The song made me feel like I was 16 again, sitting with my high school boyfriend under the bleachers. I’m obsessed with how she travels back in time with this song!
‘I Think We’re Alone Now’ by Tiffany
Channeling the mall princess of the 1980s, Kelly’s rendition of Tiffany’s major hit was perfect. I couldn’t help but sing along with this one as I thought about the fuzzy neon music video with the side ponytail. Kelly has a voice that is up there with the greats, and just like Meryl Streep can play any character, Kelly can sing any song you put in front of her.
‘When You Say Nothing at All’ by Keith Whitley
My favorite version of this song is by Alison Krauss, but Kelly’s Kellyoke brought me to tears. Again, her Southern twang came through clear, and she made sure to emote each word, knowing how to punch the end of each line. The love song melted my heart. Kelly did the song justice, as she did the entire piece so beautifully. 90s music might just be her perfect genre to cover, in my opinion.
‘Let’s Get Loud’ by Jennifer Lopez
Thinking back, I am not sure I have ever really heard anyone try to perform a J-Lo cover. But Kelly did, and it was everything. The high tempo and Latin vibes were everything. I actually got distracted while writing because I started to dance. This song explains why she was the first-ever American Idol winner: She has something in her bag for every genre. She is the musical Mary Poppins.
‘Don’t Worry Baby’ by The Beach Boys
Guys, Kelly sang the Beach Boys! It was one thing for John Stamos to play the drums for this epic California group, but a cover? I thought Kelly might be out of her depth, but again, I was proven wrong. Kelly took us right to the beach with arguably one of the best renditions ever.
TELL US -DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE KELLY CLARKSON KELLYOKE PERFORMANCE?