Kelly Clarkson revealed that she ‘got real bitter’ at the disdain she received after her American Idol season one victory made her a star in 2002.The 41-year-old told USA Today that some in the music industry held her in contempt because her breakthrough was a reality competition show.
‘The first three years of my career was me just paying for winning a talent show. I got real bitter,’ said Kelly, who now coaches The Voice.
‘I was just looking for anyone to talk to who knew what I was going through. And that’s why I like to do that for artists on The Voice,’ she shared. ‘It’s actually healed that bitterness I used to carry, being able to be that for somebody else,’ said the Fort Worth-born songstress.
Kelly remarked on the ‘irony’ that some of the people who initially took jabs at her for American Idol have since coached and judged similar programs now that the genre has become more common and accepted.
Although American Idol itself was a positive experience for her, she feels less warmly about From Justin To Kelly, a 2003 romantic comedy she filmed just afterward.
Co-starring her runner-up Justin Guarini, the movie has 10% on Rotten Tomatoes and made back less than half its budget in theaters, per Box Office Mojo.
‘It’s really funny, because I knew that the winner of Idol would have to do that movie and I didn’t want to do that movie. And I think Justin did.’ Kelly told USA Today.
‘So, we were totally cool with him winning and me not winning, so I didn’t have to do [the movie]. But I won, and had to do it. Contractually obligated.’
The singing sensation gave this new interview to promote her new daytime chat-show The Kelly Clarkson Show.
Although Monday’s pilot episode was meant to feature Kevin Hart as a guest, the comic is currently in recovery after a car crash on Sunday.
As a result, his friend Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, who has co-starred with him in four movies, has filled in for him on The Kelly Clarkson Show and taped a segment.