Kelly Clarkson Biography

Date of Birth: April 24, 1982

Born and raised in Burleson, Texas, Kelly Clarkson's first ambition in life was to be a marine biologist. However, after watching the movie Jaws, she realized that marine biology was not for her. When she was 13, she was singing to herself in a corridor at school and a teacher asked her if she would join the choir. She accepted, and the experience gave her the opportunity to see what she could do with her voice, adapting to different music styles. She went on to win lead roles in high school musicals such as Brigadoon, and found she was completely at ease as a solo artist performing in front of large crowds when she entered State and regional competitions.

After graduating from high school, Clarkson headed to Los Angeles to break into the music industry. She gave her demo tape to various producers and music labels, but finally, after getting absolutely no encouragement or opportunities, she decided to go home to Texas. She was working as a cocktail waitress when her best friend Jessica heard about auditions for a brand new television talent show called American Idol. From amongst 10,000 hopefuls, Kelly was chosen to go to Hollywood to see if she could make it through to the finals. She ended up as one of 10 finalists who sang every week to television audiences of more than 25 million. The viewers loved not only her amazing vocal range and style, but her confidence and down-to-earth qualities. In September 2002, there were only two contestants left - Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini. 20-year-old Kelly won 57% of the votes and was named the first American Idol. Her debut single A Moment Like This/Before Your Love broke two world records in its first week alone and her debut CD album, Thankful, shot to the top of the North American charts just days after its release. Kelly reunited with her American Idol runner-up Justin Guarini in order to film their very own movie, From Justin to Kelly (2003).

Her latest work is the animated film The Star(2017).

Filmography:

The Star (2017)
From Justin to Kelly (2003)