Heart-Wrenching Facts About Kelly Clarkson, America's Troubled Idol
Kelly Clarkson is one of those celebrities that everyone seems to know. She's dazzled the world with her powerhouse vocals and songwriting skills, but her success came at a chilling price.
Her outgoing personality hides a past filled with rejection, body image pressure, family drama—and more heartbreak than we ever thought possible.
1. She Faced Childhood Heartbreak
Kelly Clarkson was born in 1982 in Burleson, Texas to an ordinary middle-class family. Ordinary, that is, until her parents got divorced and destroyed the six-year-old Clarkson’s world.
In the aftermath, her siblings went to live with other family members while Clarkson remained with her mother. Even though her family felt broken, she still found something to believe in.
2. She Found Her Calling
Growing up as a Southern Baptist, Clarkson's faith reigned over everything. When she was eight years old, Clarkson visited an African-American church in her hometown of Fort Worth. There, the choir's soaring passion sparked a new dream in Clarkson's heart: She also wanted to sing with such feeling. However, few know that, despite her talent, Clarkson's prior ambitions had nothing to do with flexing her vocal chops.
3. A Shark Movie Ruined Her Dream
As a youngster, Kelly Clarkson harbored fantasies of becoming a marine biologist—but a fateful moment ruined her goals before they even had the chance to take flight. She made the dire mistake of watching the classic movie Jaws. It scared her so badly that it quashed her desire to work in the ocean. Little did she know, her singing career would also eat her up and spit her back out—but in a completely different way.
4. She Took The Path Less Traveled
Upon graduating high school, Clarkson had the world at her fingertips: Three full scholarships stared her down. However, instead of seizing the opportunity, she made a shocking decision. She turned down all of the scholarships in the hopes of becoming a singer right out of the gates. Well, let's just say, her best-laid plans did not go smoothly.
