Taking on Aretha is always risky; making one of her songs your own is even harder. Lots of
Idol hopefuls have tried and fallen short. But Kelly Clarkson, the show’s first champ, made it sound easy, even throwing in a whopping high note at the climax of
“Natural Woman” that gave us a glimpse of what she is capable of. Second only to Carrie Underwood in post-
Idol success, Clarkson has released five studio albums, received multiple Grammys and VMAs, has gone multiplatinum many times over, and is a radio mainstay.