Recording artist Kelly Clarkson attends The iHeartRadio Summer Pool Party at Caesars Palace on May 30, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo : Getty Images for iHeartMedia / Bryan Steffy)
Kelly Clarkson celebrates 14th anniversary of her victorious "American Idol" journey. In the Fox show's history, the then 20-year-old former waitress became the winner of Season 1, beating runner-up Justin Guarini in Los Angeles, California. Clark took to Twitter to thank the Fox series, citing the amazing opportunities it offers in a tweet on Sept. 4, Sunday.
14 yrs ago 2day @AmericanIdol opened a door w/such amazing opportunities & experiences 4 me! I am 4ever grateful & blessed! #heresto14more
In “American Idol: The Search for a Superstar,” Clarkson sang “A Moment Like This” as her coronation song on the Sept. 4, 2002 finale, launching her career in front of judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell. Since then, she garnered three Grammy awards and accumulated 100 Billboard No. 1 hits, Billboard reported.
The 34-year-old Texas-born singer has toured the world many times, released a Christmas album and welcomed 2-year-old daughter River and 4-month old son Remington with husband Brandon Blackstock. The singer’s career continues to boom, though “American Idol” did not as it concluded in April after 15 sessions.
“American Idol,” however, it successfully gave the likes of Clarkson a start in the music industry. With no YouTube, singing competitions were the best chances for hopeful artists to get noticed in 2002.
The Season 1 champ returned to the show which launched her career earlier this year during its finale to perform a medley of her hits. She also performed a moving rendition of her new single, “Piece by Piece” earlier that season which brought the audience to tears.
After 15 years with RCA, Clarkson signed a long-term deal with Atlantic Records in June. Coming from Fox’s singing competition and entering into the music industry with RCA was like an arranged marriage, Clarkson explained in a livestream on Facebook. She called the experience rough, but awesome.
"I have so many goals, like with films, musical theater, Broadway, everything," she previously told Entertainment Tonight . "I have so many goals and I'm just about breaking all the rules, so I'll just do whatever comes my way if I feel like it's natural."
Watch Clarkson’s emotional performance in the last season of the show that catapulted her to stardom.
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