American pop singer Kelly Brianne Clarkson is the winner of the first season of American Idol. Since then his recording career has only tasted success. She has to his credit 5 top-ten U S singles and 2 top-five albums. Clarkson was born on April 24, 1982 in Fort Worth, Texas to parents of Greek, German Irish, and descent. Her parents split up when she was just a child of 6 years. She went to live with her mother, while her brother went with their father, and her sister, with their aunt.
She settled at Burleson, Texas after fourth grade. One day at middle school her teacher chanced to overhear her singing in a school corridor. Getting impressed by her musical talent, the teacher asked her to join the school choir. Her musical activities at school instilled in her an ambition for a recording career. Thus, after graduating from high school, she relocated to Los Angeles, California to pursue her career.
She had a brief stint with television and songwriter Gerry Goffin. Burning down of her Los Angeles apartment disillusioned her and she returned to Texas, but still firm on building her career in show business. Later she even went to do some odd jobs. She has worked in a pharmacy, as a cocktail waitress, as a promo girl for Red Bull, at a cinema, at Chili's, at the Fort Worth Zoo, as a door-to door sales girl, as a telemarketer etc.
In 2002, Clarkson auditioned for American Idol along with ten thousand others. Going through several rounds, she reached the final ten and received the # two spot in her group. Once entered into the list of top ten, Clarkson eventually moved into the position of competition favorite. On September 4, 2002, Clarkson won the finals against Justin Guarini, earning 58% of the audience vote.
On October 5, 2002, Clarkson's first single, "A Moment Like This", made a record leap from #52 to # 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. More than 500,000 copies of the single were sold. ‘Thankful’, released by RCA Records on April 15, 2003, was her first full-length album. It was given the double platinum by the RIAA, for shipping more than 2 million copies in the U.S. Meanwhile Clarkson was cast with fellow American Idol contestant Justin Guarini in the film, ‘From Justin to Kelly’ (2003). In 2004, for her top-10 hit single "Miss Independent", which was co-written by Christina Aguilera, Clarkson got a Grammy Nomination (for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance). The third single, "Low", was not a hit in the U.S., but came #2 in Canada. It was a big seller in Canada and got a good airplay and video play. "The Trouble with Love Is", the fourth and final single from Thankful, also found place on the soundtrack of the film Love Actually. In the first World Idol competition, she reached the second place. In 2004, with fellow American Idol contestant Clay Aiken, Clarkson also set off on the 30-city Independent Tour.
On November 30, 2004, came Clarkson’s second album Breakaway (#3 on the Billboard album chart). It was noted for its harder and more rock-flavored edge. Though Clarkson did not pursue acting in films after her debut in “From Justin to Kelly”, she did the role of Brenda Lee on NBC's American Dreams. In 2005, she appeared as musical guest on Saturday Night Live and also acted in two sketches. Teen People Magazine named her as one among the "Hottest 25 Stars under 25".
On August 16, 2005, Clarkson bagged, home awards for the Best Female Artist, the Best Single for "Since U Been Gone", the Best Album for Breakaway, and the Best Summer Single for "Behind These Hazel Eyes" at the Teen Choice Awards of 2005. In spite of Clarkson’s transformation from the girl-next-door to pop diva, she has kept her conservative reputation, unblemished.
