The original American Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson, appeared on last night’s episode, to mentor the contestants as they took on her vast catalog of songs. She was dang cute, and had good advice for the young singers. While she didn’t get into the nitty gritty of vocal technique, she had some great tips on performance, connecting to the material and performing in front of a camera.
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For instance, she suggested to Clark Beckham that he use a mic stand as a way to get grounded into his “The Trouble with Love” performance, and stressed the importance of vulnerability. She assured Quentin Alexander that it wasn’t necessary to hit all the big notes, and complimented him on how he conveys emotion just with his eyes. Later, after his haunting performance of “Darkside,” she sent out a note with Ryan Seacrest that said, “I want to make love to those sweet eyes.” Ha. Speaking of eyes, she advised Nick Fradiani to keep his eyes open as he sang, and to look at the audience. While mentoring Qaasim Middleton, on an acoustic version of “Stronger,” she gave advice that should be heeded by all finalists–don’t show everything you’ve got at once! Keep a few tricks up your sleeve for later. And of course, watch where that red light is. Sing to the camera!
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After, she gave the nine finalists a lesson in How to Do It when she performed her single “Heartbeat Song” and then reprised her American Idol audition song “At Last.” Despite having issues with her in ears, Kelly nailed the Etta James classic. Take notes, kids!
On twitter last night, Kelly tweeted a photo of herself with the judges. Harry Connick Jr had a playful exchange with the singer, which related to Kelly teasing him about being a “crap dad” for not bringing his daughters to the taping. It was the first time she met Harry, and the meeting was adorable! You can check that at the end of the “At Last” performance on video.
HeartBeat Song
At Last
Idol love! Good to be home! #americanidol https://t.co/APeXhlebh3
— Kelly Clarkson (@kelly_clarkson) April 2, 2015
@HarryConnickJR haha! Now this means you and your kiddos have to come see me on tour this summer! Then you will be #RadDad #Duet?? — Kelly Clarkson (@kelly_clarkson) April 2, 2015
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