Multi-talented star, Kelly Clarkson is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and author who became known after she won the inaugural season of the television series American Idol, which earned her a multi-album record deal with RCA Records.
She is a 3-time Grammy award winner who has also earned for herself twelve Billboard music awards, four American Music Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, and two Academy of Country Music Awards. In 2012, she was included in the top 100 Greatest Women in Music.
Wiki
Her ancestry is Greek (from a maternal great-grandfather), Welsh, English, Irish, German, and Scottish. Her interest in music dates far back to when she was in grade school at the age of 8 during a visit to an African-American church in Fort Worth. Clarkson’s songs had always climbed to number one on the Billboard chart and eventually becoming best sellers.
She lived with her mother in Burleson and went to Burleson High School where she performed in various musicals, graduating in 2000. She sang at her high school talent show where one of her audience told her God has given her a gift and that she’s destined to sing. She has been singing since then. Prior to American Idol, she worked at a movie theater, promoted Red Bull energy drinks, and worked as a telemarketer and as a cocktail waitress in a comedy club in Burleson.
Kelly Clarkson’s Family
Kelly, the youngest of three children, was born Kelly Brianne Clarkson in Fort Worth Texas on April 24, 1982. She grew up with her mother, Jeanne Ann following her parents’ divorce when she was 6. Her mother was a first-grade English teacher. Her siblings are Jason and Alyssa who she did not get the chance to grow up with as her brother went to live with their father and her sister with an aunt upon their parents’ divorce. They, however, got together just before she auditioned for the American Idol during her brother’s wedding in Alaska.
She also has two younger half-brothers from her father’s second marriage. Her mother also later remarried to Jimmy Taylor.
Clarkson’s Father
Stephen Michael Clarkson is the name of Kelly’s father, he was an engineer. The case of Kelly and her estranged father is a clear example of what impact a broken home can have on a child. She has worked her way to stardom and is loved by the world, but she still does not seem to have gotten through that single separation.
The singer had a sour relationship with her father who she said in her song turned his back on them. She wrote two songs that were anchored on their unsalvageable relationship: Because of You and Piece by Piece.
She never realized the impact of the event till she got pregnant with her first child and eventually becoming a parent and her husband’s unconditional love for their daughter made her wish she had her father in her childhood.
Although she confessed in a 2015 interview with Glamour that she is yet to understand the reason her father left, she holds no grudge against him for his decision. She further said that she doesn’t know what her father went through as a child but he has made her want to be more present in her family and she has become stronger.
American Idol, World Idol
Kelly Clarkson first auditioned for the inaugural season of American Idol: The Search for a Superstar after her friends’ persistent encouragement that she had what it takes. She auditioned and went ahead to win the competition on September 4, 2002, after earning 58% of the votes. This feat has set her rolling in her music career.
On December 25, 2003, she took part in World Idol in London along with the inaugural winners of several Idol television series around the world ending up as the runner-up with 97 points.
Music and Acting Career
Her debut album Thankful was released on April 15, 2003, and was well-received by critics. She released six more albums under the RCA record label and they include Breakaway, released on November 30, 2004, My December, released June 22, 2007, All I Ever Wanted, March 10, 2009, Stronger on October 21, 2011, her first Christmas record, Wrapped In Red was released on October 25, 2013. In February 2015, she released Piece by Piece, collaborating with Kurstin, Jesse Shakti, Sia, John Legend, and Shane McAnally.
Kelly signed a long-term worldwide deal with Atlantic Records on June 24, 2016, and released her eighth album, Meaning of Life on October 27, 2017.
She appeared as an extra in a few television series such as Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, and Dharma & Greg. As part of her contract obligation, Kelly Clarkson made her film debut with Guarini with the release of the musical romantic comedy film From Justin to Kelly in June 2003. She also portrayed Brenda Lee in two episodes of the television drama American Dreams between 2003 and 2004.
She will join NBC’s reality television singing competition, The Voice as a coach when season 14 debuts on February 26, 2018.
Children’s Books
Demonstrating how multi-faceted an artist she is, Kelly Clarkson signed a book deal with HarperCollins in February 2016 and released River Rose and Magical Lullaby on October 4. The book features an original lullaby written by Kelly.
Her second book, River Rose and the Magical Christmas which features the character of River Rose was released on October 27, 2017.
Is Kelly Clarkson Married? Husband, Kids
After many years of thinking that she was asexual and waiting for that one guy who would turn her on, she finally met him. Kelly is married to Brandon Blackstock who she first met at a rehearsal for the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2006 where she was performing a duet with Rascal Flatts who was the group’s tour manager at the time. She said they didn’t even talk the first time they met but it was love at first sight for her.
They would later meet at the Super Bowl in 2012 after his divorce from his former wife, Melissa Ashworth, where Kelly was performing the national anthem. The duo started dating in February 2012 and married in October 2013 at Blackberry Farm, Walland, Tennesse.
Brandon Blackstock born December 16, 1976, is the son of Navel Blackstock, Kelly’s manager and stepson of Reba McEntire. He is a pilot, the CEO of Starstruck Management Company, and a talent manager and his list of clients have included everyone from the Rascal Flatts to Blake Shelton.
Blackstock had a son and a daughter, Seth, and Savannah from a previous relationship. They, however, had their first child, River Rose on June 12, 2014, and a son, Remington Alexander on April 12, 2016.
Kelly Clarkson’s Weight
Being in the spotlight will make everything about one a topic for discussion. The songstress’ case is no different as her weight gain has been a controversial issue among her fans and critics. With a height of 1.61 m and a bodyweight of 79kg (174 lbs), people will be more concerned about your aesthetics than your health but she would rather they turn their concerns inwards.
Rather than what many think, that her weight gain is a result of unresolved issues, she says she is happy being fat. We can draw our conclusion from this and say that she is happy the way she is and healthy too.
