Kelly Clarkson and Kellie Pickler Share ‘American Idol’ Secrets
Two of American Idol‘s most famous contestants, Kelly Clarkson and Kellie Pickler, reunited on The Kelly Clarkson Show on Monday…
Kelly Clarkson and Kellie Pickler; Photo via Instagram
Two of American Idol‘s most famous contestants, Kelly Clarkson and Kellie Pickler, reunited on The Kelly Clarkson Show on Monday (Dec. 2) and ended up sharing a few secrets about the show’s audition process.
Pickler, who appeared as a guest on the show alongside actor and comedian Nick Offerman, revealed that one of her Idol audition songs was actually Clarkson’s mega-hit “Since U Been Gone.”
“I didn’t know that,” Clarkson confessed.
“Oh my gosh, yes, big fan,” Pickler said.
She went on to share details behind her audition, which included a total of three rounds.
“I actually auditioned with ‘The Sweetest Thing’ by Juice Newton, went through to the next round and then sang that one again,” she said.
During another round of auditions, then-judge Paula Abdul asked Pickler to sing “something pop.”
“I just started singing your song and I was terrified,” Pickler shared.
“That would not be my go-to for an audition,” Clarkson laughed. “That’s a hell of a song!”
Clarkson went on to share that she had to sing a few songs during her audition as well.
“They had all of us do that though. I had to sing like three different ones,” she explained. “I was like, ‘Am I still proving that I can sing on key here? What is happening?’”
Clarkson was crowned the winner of the first season of American Idol, while Pickler finished in sixth place in the fifth season of the show.
Watch a clip from the interview above.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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