Kelly Clarkson made history as the first winner of American Idol in 2002.
Since then, numerous artists like Carrie Underwood and Scotty McCreery have followed her path to fame. But Clarkson herself set the impressive standard for post-show success over two decades ago.
Throughout her music career, Kelly Clarkson has sold over 25 million albums and 45 million singles globally. She has earned three MTV Video Music Awards, three Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, two Academy of Country Music Awards, eight Daytime Emmy Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Beyond her powerhouse vocals, she has established herself as a television personality, hosting her award-winning talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, since 2019.
You can watch Kelly Clarkson’s American Idol audition in the video below.
RELATED: Complete List of ‘American Idol’ Winners: Where Are They Now?
Wednesday, September 4th, marked the 22nd anniversary of Kelly Clarkson’s American Idol win.
In a new social media post, Clarkson reacted to the special occasion. Andrew Shaw, Director of Digital for The Kelly Clarkson Show, reminded Clarkson behind the camera that the day was September 4th.
After just a brief moment, she suddenly realized why he was telling her what day it was.
“Oh my god! When you said that date, I got nervous. Like, did I miss an anniversary?”
Even though she was initially caught off guard, Clarkson’s excitement was evident as she said:
“22 years since winning ‘American Idol.’ You know what? And I’m back on TV,” she joked. “Who would have thought? That’s so exciting. Andy! I forgot. I didn’t even realize what day it was. I’m worried about my kids’ first day of school, which is tomorrow.”
Clarkson shares daughter, River, and son, Remington, with her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock.
What some fans may not know is that before auditioning for American Idol, Kelly Clarkson lived in her car.
Clarkson decided to move to Los Angeles, California to pursue a music career. She worked as an extra on TV shows and recorded demos to get by. However, her time in LA was cut short after she was rejected by most record labels and lost her apartment in a fire.
During an episode of her talk show, Clarkson shared, “It burned down, so yeah. Then, I slept in my car for a few days and then tried out for a show called ‘American Idol’ so it all worked out.”
It sure did work out! Congratulations to Kelly Clarkson on celebrating the 22nd anniversary of her Idol win. See her reaction below!