Fans of Kelly Clarkson and Taylor Swift: you’ve gotta see this.
This week on The Kelly Clarkson Show, host and American Idol icon Kelly Clarkson performed Taylor Swift’s song “Clean” from Swift’s album 1989—and fans are “at a loss for words”.
Kelly & Taylor: Kindred Spirits
During the "Kellyoke" segment of the show, where the singer covers songs by other popular artists, Kelly took on Taylor's song about heartbreak and moving on to nearly universal acclaim from viewers. The Emmy-winning host approached the song in an almost stripped-down way, with no flashy visuals or backup dancers...just Kelly, the mic, and the lyrics of the song.
Some remarked that Clarkson must be able to relate deeply to the lyrics, which discusses getting over a past relationship—the singer filed for divorce from ex-husband Brandon Blackstock in 2020, leading to a protracted two-year-long legal battle. "The emotion Kelly put into this left me with tears streaming down my face. This was so powerful," wrote one fan on the show's Youtube page.
Take a look at the moving performance below.
Fan Comment: 'Literally Cried While Listening To This'
Kelly's broken the internet before with her amazing covers and duets during "Kellyoke", but this one "[hit] different", as fans put it. The timing is ironic, as well—Taylor Swift herself has recently been in the news not only for her blockbuster Eras Tour, but also reports that Taylor and longtime love Joe Alwyn have called it quits after 6 years.
Twitter, perhaps struggling with similar heartbreak as the dual divas, was obsessed with Kelly's gorgeous cover:
KELLY CLARKSON COVERED CLEAN??? ONE OF FAV TAYLOR SWIFT SONGS??? AND SHE SLAYED IT??? WHAT
— Alyss SAW LOVEJOY (@LyssEthereals) April 16, 2023
Kelly Clarkson's cover of Clean is soooooo greaatt!! Can't wait for the full version of her cover!!
— Ken (@kenkendcc) April 16, 2023
Kelly Clarkson’s version of Clean MUST be in the next Kellyoke EP
— Gus Lopes (@soyGusLopes) April 17, 2023
That last tweet refers to Kelly's recent EP Kellyoke, where the artist formally released her covers of songs by major names like Roy Orbison, Whitney Houston, and Billie Eilish, among others. It's clear that fans are already frothing at the mouth for a Volume 2, but they'll have to wait—first, Clarkson will be releasing her latest full album this summer.
Kelly Says Chemistry Will Be 'A Very Personal Record'
Going forward in the theme of moving on and getting over established by her intense performance of "Clean", Kelly's upcoming album is promised to be a raw look at her divorce and all of its emotional fallout. During an Instagram Live video, the "Since U Been Gone" singer shared that Chemistry is "very personal...It was very good for me to be able to experience the whole relationship on this album, because to diminish something to just 'bad' would be a disservice."
The lead single from Chemistry, "Mine", was released on April 14th, and explores themes of betrayal and anger, with lyrics like "I can’t believe I stayed as long as I stayed" and accusing the subject of the song of "stealing" her shine.
Chemistry comes out on June 23rd; The Kelly Clarkson Show airs weekdays on NBC.
