LISTEN: Kelly Clarkson and Chris Stapleton ‘Glow’ on Soulful New Duet

Superstars Kelly Clarkson and Chris Stapleton just released a collaboration that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and light up your holiday season.

The superstars joined forces for their first-ever duet, “Glow,” a Christmas song that finds the vocalists trading verses before flawlessly harmonizing during the track’s chorus.

“Nothing has changed, I still wish you could be / Wrapped up in my arms, spending Christmas with me / When it gets cold is when I notice the most / With all the lights on the trees, even Christmas can’t compete with your glow,” Clarkson and Stapleton sing on the chorus.

In a recent interview with Bobby Bones on The Bobby Bones Show, Clarkson opened up about having Stapleton join her on a track and shared a hilarious story about a text exchange they shared.

“I have the funniest story that I actually haven’t told anyone yet, but I was so excited and so excited [that] he turned it around so fast, and I honestly wasn’t expecting him to say yes,” Clarkson admitted. ”I just feel like everybody asks him to sing, and I get really nervous asking because I’ve been turned down a lot with singing with people. So, I got really nervous, but I was so excited he said yes, and like I said he turned the music around so quickly and his voice is just magical.”

Clarkson continued to tell Bones, “But I made this whole video outside of [a] studio because I was listening to [the song] when I got it. And I literally sounded like a child on a rollercoaster when I made this video and I sent it to Chris. I was like just so happy because it just sounded so amazing.”

After texting Stapleton a video of herself losing her mind over the duet, The Voice coach says she “didn’t hear” back from the “Starting Over” singer, and she was worried she made herself look like a “stage five clinger.”

The Emmy-award winning star and Texas native then gushed over Stapleton’s vocal talent.

“I literally was so happy, I think there are few artists… I love a lot of artists… But there are a few artists that really move me and make me want to be a better singer and make me want to do better and inspire me creatively,” Clarkson admitted. ”And he has been since before everyone knew him. When we were both at some event, and I think he was playing with The SteelDrivers, and I was like ‘who the hell is this’ and since that moment I remember sitting at the Grand Ole Opry [in my] seat and going ‘oh my God this guy is like one of the most talented singers I’ve ever heard.’ I’m so excited, I mean, he’s had such an amazing career and also that his amazing voice is harmonizing with mine.” 

While the two singers have never collaborated before, they did both lend their vocals to the Trolls 2 Soundtrack in March 2020.

In addition to Stapleton, the just-released Christmas project also features duets with Brett Eldredge, and Ariana Grande.

When Christmas Comes Around… arrived on October 15 via Atlantic Records and features 15-tracks, including the project’s lead single “Christmas Isn’t Canceled (Just You).” In addition to original songs, the holiday album also includes covers of classic country hits like “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas,” “Santa Baby,” “Last Christmas” amongst many others.

The holiday project marks Clarkson’s ninth studio album overall and her second holiday project since the release of 2013’s Wrapped In Red and her first new album since 2017’s Meaning Of Life.