Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson was born on April 24, 1982 to Jeanne Ann Taylor and Stephen Michael Clarkson. When Clarkson was 6 years old, her parents were separated and she went into the custody of her mother. She attended the Pauline Higher Middle School and the Burleson High School. She was heard singing in the hallway by one of her teachers who encouraged her to join the school choir. She has also performed in musicals such as Brigadoon. She did not received any formal training in singing and music, and is one of the very few blessed with talent. When Kelly Clarkson was in Burleson, many of her friends encouraged her to audition for the reality television program 'American Idol'. The first round comprised of more than ten thousand aspirants. Clarkson managed to reach the top thirty, after which the audience polls decided the contestant's fate. Clarkson garnered the top-ten position after a rendering performance of Aretha Franklin's 'Respect'. Justin Guarini and Clarkson were in for a competition in the last round, and Clarkson was titled the 'American Idol', in 2002. She made her debut album 'Thankful' in 2003, which also yielded her first U.S. number one single. In December 2003, there was a contest in England called 'World Idol'. Clarkson bagged the second place in this contest. RCA Records released, Clarkson's second studio album 'Breakaway'. It won Clarkson two Grammies and the singles from this album, allowed the album to be certified five time platinum in the U.S. and quadruple platinum in Canada. She has received different responses from critics. However, most of them suggest that she has moved out of the pop pageantry that made her famous, and has struck the chord with her rock performance.