Kelly Clarkson: A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame unveiled

20 years after her lead win on the first season of ‘American Idol’: Kelly Clarkson, 40, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday. A few meters from the place where the singer and presenter, as the first winner of the show, started the casting boom in the USA.

“I won here 20 years ago,” she said. According to media reports in her acceptance letter. “I feel very fortunate because I know so many talented people who love to sing and write songs,” she said. “A lot of people could do that and I feel really lucky to have had the opportunity. There are dreams you didn’t know you had and eventually come true and you feel so lucky.”

‘American Idol’ judges praise

Guest speakers at Stern’s unveiling were the judges for the first season of “American Idol” Paula Abdul, 60, Simon Cowell, 62, and Randy Jackson, 60. The American equivalent of the British show “Pop Idol” was the first talent show to be shown on American television. The German branch “Deutschland sucht den Superstar” started shortly thereafter in November 2002.

In his eulogy, Simon Cowell remembered the moment he first saw and heard Kelly Clarkson. In the early days of filming the casting show he still felt “cheated”. “Everyone sang wrong and it kept getting worse. I said, ‘This is an absolute disaster, why did we come here?'” But then came Clarkson. “I don’t just remember your voice, but I also remember your character.” Coyle said her success gave justification to “American Idol.” So far, Kelly Clarkson is the best-selling contestant on the talent show.

For Paula Abdul too, season one was worth it primarily because of Clarkson. The singer thanked her younger colleague for “changing the direction of my life and making me believe like a kid who believes in Santa Claus. Talented guys can do it – and in a big way.” Abdul canceled a private trip to attend the concert.

Kelly Clarkson: From talent show winner to talk show host

Kelly Clarkson was born in Texas on April 24, 2002 and has sung in the school choir from an early age. After the first unsuccessful attempts to gain a foothold as a singer, she kept her head above the water with various jobs. At the request of a friend, she participated in “American Idol”. After her victory, her debut single “A Moment Like This” reached #1 on the US Billboard charts.

Later, the mother of two was a jury member of “The Voice USA”. Since 2019, she has hosted her own afternoon talk show “The Kelly Clarkson Show”.