The first “American Idol,” is receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
On the 20th anniversary of her win on America’s Got Talent, Kelly Clarkson was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was given the accolade outside her new star, the 2,733rd on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, during a ceremony on September 19th.
Ana Martinez, the producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, stated in a press release that Clarkson “has been long deserving of a spot on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.”
“She has been an iconic person in American pop culture since she walked onto the first audition stage on American Idol and has continued to impress fans with her musical and talk show prowess,” Martinez stated.
Clarkson brought her two children, River, 8, and Remington, 6, as well as original “American Idol” judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul to Hollywood Boulevard to commemorate her coveted star.
Clarkson has had a celebrated career, winning a Daytime Emmy Award in 2022 for outstanding entertainment talk show host, as well as three Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards and three MTV Video Music Awards. She is also the first artist to top each of Billboard’s pop, adult contemporary, country, and dance charts. Her hit songs include “Since U Been Gone,” “Breakaway” and “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).”
“This is where I won 20 years ago,” Clarkson stated. “I feel very lucky and fortunate because I know a lot of talented people that love singing and are amazing at it and writing songs, and even talk show hosts — a lot of people could do that, and I just feel very fortunate that I get the chance. There are dreams you didn’t know you had and they end up happening and you feel super blessed.”
At the event, Clarkson praised her staff and her children for their support. Clarkson was joined at the ceremony by notable guest speakers such as Jason Halbert, who has worked with Clarkson since 2003 as her music director.
Cowell said that Clarkson being on the show meant that he had a guarantee of job security, as she was the talent they needed to keep “American Idol” popular.
“I actually thought I was being punked on the first day,” Cowell said of the first day of auditions when he met Clarkson. “Paula resigned. Every singer was out of tune and it got worse, progressively. I thought, ‘This is an absolute disaster, why did we come here?’ And thank God, I remember the day we met you and I remember not just your voice, but your personality.”
“Thanks to you, we may have another season,” Cowell recalled. “Thanks to you, I’m here today. You validated what we did. If we didn’t find a star, there’s no point in doing these shows.”
The ceremony concluded with Clarkson snapping pictures of her star.
NBC’s broadcast of “The Kelly Clarkson Show” season four premieres on Sept. 12.
