8/14/2019 IGN March 13, 2009

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ign-march-13-2009 1/3

IGNMarch 13, 2009

We Heart HerWhy it's cool to love Kelly Clarkson.by Sketch Longwood

We used to keep it a secret… our love for Kelly Clarkson. Afraid of endangering ourstreet cred, or being made fun of by our music snob friends, our true feelings for theworld's most likable pop star stayed pent up inside. But we can't hide it any longer.Kelly Clarkson, if lovin' you is wrong we don't wanna be right.

 There are more like us out there -- we're sure of it. Living a double life. SecretlyGoogling "Kelly Clarkson" in the wee hours, while stealthily copying her latest releaseon to their iPods. Praying they won't be found out.

Are you one of these closet Clarkson fans? IGN can help. We're here to assure youthat it's cool to like Kelly Clarkson. Here are some reasons why...

She saved the world from Justin Guarini.Kelly rose to pop stardom after winning the first season of  American Idol in 2002. Shedid so by topping curly-'froed crooner Justin Guarini in a sing-off. Kelly received 58%of the nationwide vote to Justin's 42%. Imagine for a moment what the pop musicscene would look like today if it hadn't been for that critical 16-point margin.

It would look a lot like this...

And the downfall of Western Civilization would surely follow. Thank you, KellyClarkson. You saved us all.

8/14/2019 IGN March 13, 2009

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ign-march-13-2009 2/3

She had us at "Ducka, ducka, ducka."Kelly's always oozed down-to-earth, girl-next-door appeal. She's also a self-proclaimed dork. Even in her early days onIdol KC became known for dorking it up,

randomly exclaiming the Austin Power'scatchphrase "Ducka, ducka, ducka."

Clarkson, who grew up in a blue-collarfamily near the small town of Burleson,

  Texas, has a palpable realness. It's thisapproachability factor that makes herspecial. Compared to revitalized popwreckBritney Spears, the diva-ish Beyonce, rough-around-the-edges Pink, or even the indie-styled Katy Perry, Kelly seems most like thatcute girl that sat next to you in homeroom.

Before she found herself in the musicalspotlight, Clarkson got her start workingdirty jobs just like the rest of us. She hustledpizzas for Papa John's, slung cold cuts atSubway, and frothed lattes at Starbucks.She even had a brief gig as a door-to-doorvacuum cleaner salesgirl -- the pervy jokes

 just write themselves.

And even with all the success she's enjoyed since, Kelly is still the cute, sweet, andsimple girl she's always been. Not your typical tabloid-whoring pop star.

Girl can sang.  You don't really need to know that KellyClarkson has won more than 60 awards overthe course of her eight-year career, includingtwo Grammys, to know that she's awesome. Allyou have to do is give her music a fair hearing.She's got skills.

Kelly has sold more than 56 million albumsworldwide -- proof that she has massivemusical reach. Clarkson has such widespreadappeal that everyone from the most indiemusic lover to the hardest hip-hop fan haschecked out her stuff. She may sing radio-ready pop, but it isn't just for teenage girls.

Even Jeff Beck, one of the greatest guitarist of all time, praised Clarkson after the twoperformed together on the Idol Gives Back 

charity show. "It was the depth of her voicethat struck me," Beck told Elle magazine. "She's got this... fully developed soul voicethat I wasn't expecting. It just knocked me out. It was quite riveting to listen to." And,well, if it's cool enough for Jeff Beck then it's cool enough for us.

Okay, so maybe that girl fromhomeroom wasn't this hot.

8/14/2019 IGN March 13, 2009

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ign-march-13-2009 3/3

Even notorious Idol sourpuss Simon Cowell admits Clarkson has the "best voice by amile" of any contestant who's ever appeared on the show.

Music mag Blender contrasts Clarkson's pipes with vocal powerhouse Mariah Carey'ssaying, "If Mariah Carey's five-octave voice is the equivalent of an expensively bredpoodle, then Clarkson's is a bloodhound: friendly, earthy, but fierce just the same."

And it's that friendly, earthy sound coming straight from her gut that makesClarkson's vocals so demanding of attention.

She's got it goin' on like Donkey Kong!Equally demanding of attention -- and ya know this! -- is Clarkson's thick, toned body.We love a girl with some meat on her bones, and Kelly's got the thickness going on!Clarkson's frequently bare midriff leaves us smitten. And then there's that bodaciousbadonkadonk...

"Big Bob," as legions of adoring male (and female) fans have deemed it, is quitepossibly pop music's preeminent derriere. While J-Lo and Beyonce might have fiercecurves, Kelly's glutes have got an unrivaled "pow" factor.

In fact, there's actually an entire fan subculture that has sprung (literally?) up aroundClarkson's colossal booty. But don't take our word for it. For our closing argument, wesubmit this ridiculous(ly awesome) "Bob" tribute video. You'll note that it's set, oh sofittingly, to country star Trace Adkins' "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk." Click thescreenshot to behold...

Now that you feel secure in your appreciation for all things Kelly, show us the love inthe comments. You're welcome.

http://music.ign.com/articles/962/962341p1.html