Kelly Clarkson Walk of Fame: American Idol judges reunite

For Kelly Clarkson, her Walk of Fame ceremony was a homecoming.

Twenty years ago this month, Clarkson wowed Hollywood as the first winner of American Idol in 2002. On Monday, she returned to Los Angeles’ famed boulevard to celebrate not just herself but the team as well. which launched his fame.

I think [its] It’s important to not only have positive people around you, but also people who genuinely love you, care about you, and give you honest advice. I’ve always appreciated that, and I think that’s why I’m here today, Clarkson, 40, said after receiving the 2,733rd star on the Walk of Fame.

Not just because of myself, but because I constantly have teams of people who love and support you and really want to make your dreams come true while making their dreams come true.

Clarkson, wearing a black velvet dress, delivered her acceptance speech amid cheers from excited fans who watched from the Ovation Hollywood mall, including through the window of a nearby Walgreens and the balconies of the upper level next to Dave & Busters.

Hollywood Chamber of Commerce President Lupita Sanchez Cornejo declared Kelly Clarkson Day in Hollywood as key figures from the singers’ careers came out to celebrate.

Longtime collaborator and producer Jason Halbert was on hand, as were original American Idol judges Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul, who crowned Clarkson the first Idol champion two decades ago. (Abdul said she postponed her flight to attend the Stronger Singers Ceremony.)

Kelly Clarkson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday.

(Jordan Strauss/Invision/Associated Press)

The ceremony, held at 6801 Hollywood Blvd. before Ovation Hollywood, also featured speeches by Halbert, Cowell and Abdul.

Halbert recalls meeting Clarkson after winning the American Idol crown.

Her voice was a gift she was born with, and I believe is unmatched by anyone alive, Halbert said. But it’s his authenticity and his heart that have captured the soul of America and the world for the past 20 years.

She used her voice to give a vocabulary to us who have suffered grief, pain and suffering. She gave us hymns to celebrate love and songs to mark milestones in our lives.

Former American Idol judge Simon Cowell, left, was on hand to honor Kelly Clarkson at her Walk of Fame ceremony.

(Jordan Strauss/Invision/Associated Press)

Similarly, Cowell recalled thinking Clarkson was going to win the singing competition, then aired on Fox, after hearing her perform Aretha Franklins Respect. He also recalled how Clarkson had requested that they not speak to each other until after the competition. She made it clear that she wanted to be respectful of the competitive environment.

I remember that moment when your name was called, and I was like, thanks to you, maybe we’ll get another season, he joked to Clarkson. I can honestly say, thanks to you, I am here today.

The Kelly you see on camera is the Kelly you see behind the camera, Cowell added. She is one of the kindest, most loyal and talented people I have been very, very lucky to have. [met].

Former American Idol judge Paula Abdul, left, speaks at the Kelly Clarksons Walk of Fame star ceremony on Monday.

(Jordan Strauss/Invision/Associated Press)

Abdul also sang Clarksons’ praises.

Your talent, your tenacity, your grace, your dignity made Season 1 worth it because I had to sit next to a Briton on my left and a wonderful man on my right. she joked about her fellow judges.

The Straight Up singer told Clarkson she was living proof of the impact of American Idol, a show that changed the world.

Thank you for changing the trajectory of my life and for making me believe, like a child believes in Santa Claus, that talented young people can and can succeed, said Abdul.

Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Clarkson scored a number of hits, including A Moment Like This, Since U Been Gone, My Life Would Suck Without You, and Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You), while winning three Grammy Awards on 15. nominations.

Beyond music, Clarkson has served as a judge and mentor on ABC Duets and NBC The Voice. And in 2019, she launched her own daytime talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, which received numerous Daytime Emmy awards.

Following the speeches, there was a Clarksons photoshoot with her new Hollywood star and unexpected chants from her fans. As the singer posed with her children and various crews, part of the crowd burst into her Since U Been Gone and A Moment Like This to get her attention.

Joey Prather was one of the attendees who lent his voice to the impromptu choir. Visiting from Hawaii, Prather did not expect to attend the ceremony. He said he was walking around the area when he came across the crowd and saw Clarkson, Cowell and others. Celebrity sightings on the Walk of Fame were no fluke for Prather. Instead, he says, things happen for a reason.

You bring the whole community together, it’s something special, he said. It’s something I can look back on later.

Unlike Prather, James Bany was planning to attend the Clarksons ceremony when he learned of the event through the Instagram Walk of Fame account. Bany, who traveled from Riverside, came dressed for the occasion.

He wore a Clarksons 2019 The Meaning of Life tour t-shirt, which he said was the most recent gig he’s had since the pandemic began.

Bany, who discovered Clarkson through American Idol, said his music has helped him through several breakups, and he believes his legacy is just beginning.

She’s in it for the long haul, he said. She is incredible.