Kelly Clarkson Biography

Kelly Clarkson was born in Fort Worth, Texas to her parents. Kelly's parents divorced when she was only six years old. Kelly started living with her mom. She moved to Burleson, Texas later after she finished 4thy grade. Gifted with impressive voice, Kelly started participating in choral and musical activities. Following her high school graduation, she relocated to Los Angeles, California.

Kelly Clarkson worked on television (Sabrina the Teenage Witch etc) and also worked briefly with the songwriter Gerry Goffin. After her Los Angeles apartment burned down, however, she was discouraged and moved back to Texas. But Kelly was still intent on a career in recording.

Kelly managed with some odd jobs; a cocktail waitress, a promo girl for Red Bull, in a pharmacy, at Chili's, the Fort Worth Zoo, as a telemarketer, and other jobs as well.

In the year 2002, along with 10000 other contestants, Kelly Clarkson auditioned for American Idol. The panel of judges was impressed by her voice. Kelly garnered praise from the judges on her final thirty spot, with her rendition of Aretha Franklin's "Respect". Kelly then managed to move to the final ten, receiving a number two-spot in her group.

Kelly Clarkson became the favorite, with her impressive performances of songs such as Franklin's "A Natural Woman (You Make Me Feel Like)" and Bette Midler's "Stuff Like That There".

On September 4, 2002, Kelly Clarkson won the competition "American Idol", earning 56% of the audience vote in the final contest against Justin Guarini, who had earlier garnered the number one spot in her group.

Kelly Clarkson's first single "A Moment Like This" set an American record, from number fifty-two to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (a record previously held by The Beatles with "Can't Buy Me Love").

Her first full-length album, Thankful, released by RCA Records on April 2003, was certified as "double platinum". Thankful sold over two million copies in the United States.

Kelly Clarkson also starred with fellow American Idol contestant Justin Guarini in the movie “From Justin to Kelly” (2003). The film was a box office disaster.

In 2004, Kelly Clarkson was nominated for Grammy Awards for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for her edgy Top 10 hit single "Miss Independent".

The third single, "Low", had poor chart positions, in the United States. However, it reached number two in Canada, becoming one of the biggest-selling singles of 2003.

RCA Records released Kelly Clarkson's album “Breakaway” on November 30, 2004. Breakaway received praise from critics for its harder, and rock-flavored edge.

Kelly Clarkson appeared on NBC's American Dreams as Brenda Lee, and in 2005 was musical guest on Saturday Night Live and performed in two sketches as well.

As of July 2005, Kelly Clarkson is the top-selling American Idol contestant, having sold approximately 5.2 million albums in the U.S. and having had five Top 10 singles.

Her "Since U Been Gone” music video has earned Kelly nominations for Best Female Video, Best Pop Video, and Viewer's Choice at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards.