Kelly Clarkson

You might know her from the first season of "American Idol," when she captivated the world and became the show's first winner,  but since 2002, Kelly Clarkson has made quite the career doing what she loves best.

Kelly Clarkson lived a not-so-simple life before she became a music sensation. Her parents divorced when she was very young and her mother struggled to raise Kelly and her older siblings. Clarkson may not have understood exactly what was going on in her home life, but at 8 years old, knew that music would have a strong emotional power in her life. A visit to an African-American church first inspired young Clarkson. "I was like, 'Wow, whatever they're feeling, I want to feel it too,'" Kelly says. As a junior in high school, Clarkson joined the choir after urging from a music teacher who overheard Kelly singing in the hallway.

Kelly Clarkson became a household name as a contestant on the first season of "American Idol," but that was just the beginning. Clarkson released her debut album in 2003 titled “Thankful,” which went double-platinum No. 1. Then, in 2004, "Breakaway," which sold more than 12 million copies, had five Top 10 hits and stayed on charts for two years. In 2007, "My December" went platinum and 2009's "All I Ever Wanted" debuted at No. 1 on Billboard Top 200.

Clarkson also has won two Grammy Awards, two MTV Music Awards, two American Music Awards and 11 Billboard Music Awards. Although Clarkson's had such success, her songs are often based on heartbreak and overcoming obstacles. "I think I gravitate toward songs with a defiant message because I always feel like I'm fighting just to be me," she says. "That's why I tend to write or choose songs about how just being you is okay. People associate me with break-up songs, but most of the time the song isn't even about a guy. I never write about one particular thing. I always relate the topic to different situations in my life, whether it's family, friends or work. That's what makes the songs connect on a broader level."
 

Now Kelly's latest album, "Stronger," will thrill fans with emotional tunes like "The War Is Over," and "Honestly." "The whole album is very much about strength and empowerment, so "Stronger" felt like the perfect title," Clarkson says. "Plus that song is just about a gold mine -- it's a little bit pop, a litle bit pop-rock, a little bit urban, a little bit dance, and it ties everything in. And everybody loves that message. 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.' It's a perfect representation of my life."