In the first season of “American Idol,” no one knew that it was going to have such a huge impact on American culture. The series concept involves discovering new talent from unsigned singers. The idea would be that whoever won the competition would receive a contract from a major recording studio. A unique concept, the winner is decided not by the judges, but by American television viewers using the internet, phones, and SMS text voting. “American Idol” has become one of the most successful shows in American television history. The show’s success is “unparalleled in broadcasting history.”
For the American Idol Season 1, an unassuming young lady performed who didn’t exactly overwhelm all of the judges, although they did like her. Notoriously hard-to-please judge Simon Cowell even said at one point later in the season, “I don’t get this girl.” That young lady was none other than Grammy-award winning singer Kelly Brianne Clarkson, a girl from a small town called Joshua, Texas. Kelly said in her pre-audition interview, “I want to be an American Idol just because I like to perform.” When Kelly auditioned for “American Idol,” she was only 20 years old, and she sang “Express Yourself” by Madonna. Her audition was entertaining, with her even telling judge Randy Jackson that she believed he could be a star. That prompted him to get up on stage and trade places with Kelly. He did a one-liner of “I Believe I Can Fly.” This was possibly the most fun and relaxed season of “American Idol.”
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Since that first audition, Kelly Clarkson went on to win Season 1 of “American Idol.” Her success didn’t stop there, though. She got a record deal with RCA Records and debuted a single titled “A Moment Like This,” which later hit the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also became the best-selling single in the U.S. in 2002. Kelly wanted to reinvent her style, so she broke free from “American Idol” management and made a shift to pop-rock for her second album, aptly named “Breakaway.”
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She has had numerous number-one singles and has won three Grammy Awards, along with several other awards. In the video below, you can watch the first televised performance of a living legend.
