WATCH: Kelly Clarkson Confesses She’s Unable To Recall Names Of Recent ‘American Idol’ Winners
“Oh s—,” she laughed. “In fairness, I don’t — OK… huh.”
Kelly Clarkson; Photo by: Charles Sykes/Bravo
Kelly Clarkson, the original “American Idol,” was recently tasked to name an American Idol winner from the past five years and was completely stumped.
The superstar appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen on Tuesday evening (June 27) and played a game of “Plead the Fifth” during her appearance.
In a surprising turn of events, the conversation wound up on American Idol, the show that made Clarkson famous, and she shockingly found herself to be speechless when attempting to answer an Idol trivia question.
“Can you name an American Idol winner from the last five years?” Cohen asked Clarkson.
By the look on her face, it was clear that she was at a loss for words.
“Oh s—,” she laughed. “In fairness, I don’t — OK… huh.”
She continued to rack her brain with an attempt to come up with the name of an American Idol winner.
“No no no! I got one!” Clarkson exclaimed, but ultimately realized, “No. No I don’t have one.”
While Clarkson couldn’t name the past five American Idol winners, they include Iam Tongi (Season 21), Noah Thompson (Season 20), Chayce Beckham (Season 19), Just Sam (Season 18), and Laine Hardy (Season 17).
During her Watch What Happens Live appearance, Clarkson also dished on the long-standing rumor that she has “beef” with fellow American Idol winner, Carrie Underwood. See her response HERE.
In 2002, Kelly Clarkson won over the hearts of millions when she was famously crowned the inaugural champion of American Idol.
Following her big moment on Idol, Clarkson has achieved remarkable success. She has earned three GRAMMYs and released 10 albums, including the just-released Chemistry.
On the new project, which is a result of her 2020 divorce from her husband, Brandon Blackstock, Clarkson opens up about her personal life within the lyrics.
“Having chemistry with someone is an incredible and overwhelming, feeling. It’s like you have no choice in the matter. You are just drawn to each other. This can be good and bad,” Clarkson explained on Instagram. “This album takes you down every path that chemistry could lead you down. We decided to release “mine” and “me” at the same time because I didn’t want to release just one song to represent an entire album or relationship. There are many stages of grief and loss on this album. Each song is a different stage and emotional state.”
Chemistry is a two-sided, 14-track project that features the fan-favorite tunes such as “Me,” “Mine,” “Red Flag Collector” and more.
In addition to mentoring aspiring singers on several seasons of NBC’s The Voice, Clarkson has also ventured into hosting her own daytime talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show.
Clarkson is currently gearing up to launch her 10-date Las Vegas residency, dubbed Chemistry…An Intimate Night With Kelly Clarkson, on July 28 at Bakkt Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.
“I am so excited for these shows and couldn’t think of a better place to get back on stage than Las Vegas! The crowds in Vegas are such an amazing collection of people that simply want to have a great time and that’s what we’re going to do!” said Kelly Clarkson via a press release. “So many of my musical idols have had, and still have, incredible residencies on The Strip, and I’m so excited to create my own!”
Chemistry…An Intimate Night with Kelly Clarkson, which runs through August 19, will feature a set list full of Clarkson’s biggest hits and a unique, intimate production that was built specifically for the venue, formerly known as Zappos Theater.
“I’ll be straight up: I’m gonna be that artist who’s definitely gonna give you all those songs you want to hear, because I hate when I go to shows and people don’t give me that,” Clarkson told Billboard. “So you’re gonna hear all the ones that, honestly, we haven’t performed in forever. We haven’t been able to!”
During the interview with Billboard, Clarkson also promised that “all 10 shows will be different,” and that “there’s definitely gonna be the hits in all of them, but we’re sprinkling in covers that people have liked or album tracks that people have liked here and there. … I’m going to hit all the [new] album, just on different nights.”
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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