Kelly Clarkson returned to host Christmas In Rockefeller Center for the second time and pulled double duty as host and performer!
On November 5, it was announced that Kelly Clarkson would host the beloved TV special for the second year. She announced the news on her Emmy Award-winning talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show.
“I host things sometimes, so I was like, ‘Oh, this will be cool,'” she said about hosting the events in 2023. “And then the tree lit up, and you would have thought, like, I was going to survive something, I bawled. I don’t know why, but it’s so beautiful when you’re standing there, and I just, I don’t know, I was all of a sudden in a Charlie Brown movie, and it was magical.”
She announced the live two-hour special would take place on December 4 at 8pm on NBC and Peacock.
Who performed at the 2024 Christmas In Rockefeller Center special?
Kelly Clarkson hosted the event and performed two songs as well! Other performers included Backstreet Boys, Dan + Shay, Megan Hilty, Jennifer Hudson, Coco Jones, Little Big Town, RAYE, the Radio City Rockettes, and Thalia.
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Dan + Shay sang “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” and “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year,” while Little Big Town performed “Santa Claus Is Back In Town” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.” Along with hosting, Kelly Clarkson performed “You For Christmas” and “Underneath The Tree.”
Clarkson’s “Underneath The Tree” performance came right before the famous tree was lit
“Underneath The Tree” was included on her 2013 Christmas album Wrapped In Red.
She co-wrote the song with Greg Kurstin, who also produced the track. It is one of the most beloved modern Christmas songs, being compared in popularity to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas is You.”
Kelly Clarkson was wrapped in a black coat and matching leather gloves to perform her upbeat hit. Her backup singers were dressed in matching red coats to contrast Clarkson’s all black look. The singer had the entire crowd dancing and singing along!
Moments after she finished singing, TODAY hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker, and Craig Melvin helped her light the over 70-foot tree.
Watch the performance and the tree lighting below.