Welcome to the “TODAY Archives,” where we revisit memories from our show when celebrities and newsmakers started discourse, made us laugh or shaped our culture. This latest installment aired Sept. 6, 2002 and features Kelly Clarkson, less than 48 hours after winning the first season of “American Idol.”
On Sept. 4, 2002, the world of music changed when Kelly Clarkson won the inaugural season of “American Idol.” Her charming, down-home personality and stunning vocal range won over viewers and judges alike, as Clarkson toppled Justin Guarini to win the show, which, like Clarkson herself, would go on to become a cultural institution.
Clarkson, of course, would transform from powerhouse singer to just plain powerhouse. She has scored a trio of No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and won three Grammy Awards, with 14 other nominations under her belt. She became a coach on “The Voice” and just wrapped up her seven-year run as host of “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” which netted her multiple Daytime Emmy Awards for outstanding host and talk show.
All of those accomplishments and accolades were ahead of Clarkson, though, when she stopped by TODAY on Sept. 6, 2002, just two days after her “American Idol” win. It was a whirlwind time for her as the victory was quickly followed by a massive press tour.
“I just walked off a plane, so, yeah, I’m a little exhausted. But it’s cool. It’s cool. I love it,” the then-20-year-old told Katie Couric.
“I’ve done a little bit of everything,” she said about the previous 48 hours, alluding to all of the appearance she had made and noting how little she had slept.
After she was announced as the winner, Clarkson sang “A Moment Like This,” which would become her first single — and first No. 1 hit. What was going through her mind as she sang?
“I was trying not to think of the words,” she said, laughing while Couric said the lyrics were “very relevant” to what Clarkson was experiencing at that point.
Clarkson was gobsmacked by the enormous odds she overcame to win the contest, even as she performed “A Moment Like This.”
“I guess I was thinking, there’s so many talented people out there, I can’t believe. Who would’ve thunk it, you know? Walking in, out of 10,000 people, I don’t know,” she said.
Though only 20 at the time, Clarkson had already held many jobs while pursuing her dream as a singer.
“I’ve done everything,” she said, while first saying she had worked as a waitress before Couric asked her what else she had done.
“Oh, I’ve worked for the zoo,” she continued. “I’ve worked for bookstores. I’ve been a telemarketer. I’ve done door-to-door sales. You name it. You know, because I’m a performer. You never want that job. You know, you always want to do singing, so you’re never satisfied.”
Drew Weisholtz is a reporter for TODAY Digital, focusing on pop culture, nostalgia and trending stories. He has seen every episode of “Saved by the Bell” at least 50 times, longs to perfect the crane kick from “The Karate Kid” and performs stand-up comedy, while also cheering on the New York Yankees and New York Giants. A graduate of Rutgers University, he is the married father of two kids who believe he is ridiculous.
