Kelly Clarkson has become the darling of daytime TV viewers. Ever since she nabbed the victor's crown years ago on the first season of American Idol, she has won people's hearts with her wholesome charm and powerhouse vocals. It's no surprise, then, that Clarkson's popular weekday chatfest is back for a seventh season and going strong.
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Sadly, her former husband, Brandon Blackstock, passed away over the summer after a long illness. Fans hoped that despite that tragedy, Clarkson would be back deftly doing her hosting duties on the show. Now, she is - with some enjoyable changes in store!
Look for More Great "Kellyoke" This Season
Per TV Insider via Entertainment Weekly, Clarkson's music director, Jason Halbert, dropped some hints about what the star will be singing this season. "There's one song I'm really excited about called 'Carry It Well' [by] Sam Fischer. I hadn't heard the song before, but I think it's gonna be a very impactful moment. We have another Whitney [Houston] coming up. [It's] always great to hear Kelly cover Whitney. And I think we're doing Queen for the first time ever. I don't think we've done another Queen song, so that's gonna be fun."
If you are asking which Queen song might that be for Clarkson, wait no more. Halbert said, "Another One Bites the Dust" is on tap. "It's been hard to find [songs] that haven't been covered by so many other artists. We either spotlight a new artist or, if we're gonna do a huge hit, we try to make sure that we're adding something to it."
Expect some Maren Morris tunes featured on upcoming "Kellyoke" segments as well. "I guess she must have put a new album out. That's the only thing I can imagine. I haven't heard it yet, I'm seeing these songs come in, so I'm like, 'Kelly's listening to it!'"
What Else To Anticipate From Clarkson
Executive Producer Alex Duda said, "When things are tough, [it's that] Mister Rogers saying: 'You look for the helpers.' And that's what we always try always try to do. So that's why our premiere this year was just about going back to that and finding the light. And [Clarkson's] always said that since the beginning of the show that that helps her, and I think, hopefully, it helps the viewers, too."
This season's new segments, Duda said, will include "Life Well Lit" and "Celebs With Skills." The former will be "about people just spreading joy." The latter will showcase, according to the outlet, "stars who possess unique talents."
