Kelly Clarkson Fan Site

Karoake Revolution is releasing an American Idol version of its game for PlayStation 2, complete with original American Idol tunes and judgements from Randy and Simon. Players can cover one of 40 songs, including Taylor Hicks’ “Do I Make You Proud”, Bo Bice’s “The Real Thing”, Ruben Studdard’s “Flying Without Wings”, and Kelly Clarkson’s “Breakaway”. You can also channel William Hung, by singing “She Bangs”. Once you’ve finished your song, Randy and Simon will have some remarks for you. Paula Abdul’s not involved, but you can cover her ’80s hit “Straight Up”.

This sounds like a game for the pre-teen set at slumber parties or their very first boy-girl parties. I can see it now: an 11-year-old girl’s night is ruined when Simon tells her she’s the worst singer ever.

Over the past few months, former Evanescence guitarist Ben Moody has found himself taking less and less flak from rock fans for producing part of Kelly Clarkson’s album Breakaway.

“Now it’s cool to like Kelly Clarkson, so I’m in the clear”, Moody said. “She’s kind of popular now.”

Clarkson, of course, has been popular in pop circles since winning “American Idol” four years ago. What Moody means is it’s slowly become de rigueur for artists and music fans outside of that world to cheer on Clarkson, who is nominated for three MTV Video Music Awards this year (see “Green Day, Gwen, Missy Nab Most Nominations For MTV Video Music Awards”) and will also perform at the show.

In an informal survey of rockers and other hipsters, nearly all of the artists polled copped to liking at least something about the Burleson, Texas, singer. (Sorry Kelly, System of a Down still have no idea who you are.)

So how did the 23-year-old former Red Bull girl transform herself from the next Jessica Simpson into a genuinely cool rock-and-roll singer?

Kelly Clarkson, the first and, really, the only American Idol, went to a Metal Skool concert Monday. There, she didn’t behave like the demure Texan we know and love. Instead, as Access Hollywood reports, “the world was introduced to the new Kelly”, as she “gets crazy.”

These are euphemisms for “being drunk off her ass,” and it’s odd that Access Hollywood is stepping around that, considering that in one of their two video clips, Kelly climbs on stage and chugs whiskey from a bottle.

At the concert, Kelly was in the crowd, when the lead singer noticed that she was in the audience. “You’re a pretty big star, so it’s gonna be fun. Come on up,” the he tells her. On stage, he explains why she’s there. “Under the circumstances of us needing a major fucking recording contract, we have to suck up to fucking stars like this,” he says. “There’s only one reason why a star of her caliber comes to a Metal K. It’s to make her image more fuckin’ edgy, dude.”

Someone brings over a bottle of whiskey, and she starts to chug it with the lead singer of Yellowcard, Ryan Key, and then runs around the stage with the bottle still in her hand before peeling off her outer shirt, revealing just a plain white shirt. She then sings a word, basically, and the Metal Skool guy says, “Kelly, you are hammered, because that was not the key I sang.”

In the second video, Kelly feels up Ryan Key as she’s dancing around him, sings Sweet Child O’ Mine with the everyone on stage, and plays some air guitar. Even when “hammered,” Kelly can sing. Simon Cowell must be very proud.

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – As hard as it may seem to counter critics who chide “American Idol” as little more than glamorized karaoke, original “Idol” Kelly Clarkson offered a convincing argument to the contrary in front of a capacity crowd Tuesday night.

Singing “Breakaway” from the middle of the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater accompanied by nothing more than an acoustic guitar, it was a chance for the multiplatinum phenom to get up close and personal with a crowd that has helped make her America’s sweetheart songbird since winning the televised competition in 2002.

“Take a risk, take a chance, make a change and breakaway…” she sang, the lyrics to the title track of her sophomore release soaring into the nighttime sky and offering an explanation, of sorts, for the 70-minute set that they would help bring to a close. In stark contrast to the cheeky dance moves and packaged pretenses that mark the “American Idol” television empire, Clarkson seemed determined to stand on the merits of her soulful tones and compelling vocal eloquence, rather than the upbeat frenzy of her many radio hits, including standout closer “Since U Been Gone.”

AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” rattled the rafters as the house lights went out, and the deafening roar of the predominantly female crowd reached a fever pitch, but Clarkson subdued the venue by opening the set with the raspy texture and moody ambiance of “Addicted.” The midtempo bounce and punchy chorus of “Behind These Hazel Eyes” offered an invigorating rush that carried through bluesy rocker “Maybe” and the pop-rock, feel-good anthem “Gone.”

It was the middle of the 14-song set, though, that offered the best insight into where Clarkson may be heading as “Because of You” exposed a fragile dynamic to her pristine vocals and charming pop sensibilities. When a curtain dropped and exposed a swampy, Southeastern twilight — complete with an onstage dock — Clarkson’s passionate cover of Ray LaMontagne’s “Shelter” and soulful run through the title track of her debut release, “Thankful,” offered every indication that the singer is more than just a made-by-TV nightingale. A zydeco vibe fueled “Home,” which culminated into a hard rocker that offered the perfect lead to Clarkson’s breakout single “Miss Independent.”

So inspired was the performance, and so capable and impressive the vocals, it was easy to forget that Clarkson was discovered by a nationwide TV audience. That is, until she performed “Go,” a throwaway track she claimed to have wrote “with Ford,” which was accompanied by a longform commercial masked as a music video airing on the background screens.

Corporate sponsorship notwithstanding, Kelly Clarkson far exceeded her “American Idol” expectations.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter