Kelly Clarkson glad Ruben Studdard weren’t on the same American Idol season “He would have wiped my face!”
Last week Ruben Studdard dropped by The Kelly Clarkson Show to chat with his fellow alum. The two gushed over each other. He also performed a new song, “Masterpiece.”
“Kelly Clarkson has a television show!” Ruben exclaimed. Kelly modestly replied, “They just give them to people!” Ruben was having none of that, “They do not just give them to people. You earn them by being excellent, and I’m so happy for you.”
“I’ve said it for 20 years,” said Kelly, “I’m so glad we weren’t on the same season!” Kelly won the inaugural season in 2002, while Ruben won season 2 in 2003. “I was like, he would have wiped my face!” Ruben responded, “I actually said the exact same thing about you.”
Kelly, who toured at one point with that season’s runner-up Clay Aiken, admires the two singers’ ongoing friendship. “You and Clay have such a great rapport. You’re so fun to be around. You’re still touring together.”
Ruben Studdard interview and performance
The American Idol finale inspired Ruben to audition. Simon Cowell said, “you don’t look like an American Idol”
“Absolutely,” Ruben replied, explaining that the two recently finished the “Ruben and Clay 20th Anniversary Tour.” Kelly gushed, “It’s such an odd couple, but it so makes sense.” Ruben said the two had fun finally meeting their long time fans. “These people brought their pictures, they brought their shirts from our Idol tour. It was…really super-nostalgic.
Ruben chatted a little bit about WHY he auditioned for American Idol 21 years ago: “I was in a jazz band,” he explained. They were all too cool to pay attention to pop music. But he watched the American Idol finale, and it inspired him to take a shot. Ruben’s band members, “all laughed at me” when he told them, “I’m going to go do that.”
Ruben and his brother traveled to Nashville for the audition. “I slept on the side of the road with everybody,” he said. Judge Simon Cowell remarked that Ruben didn’t “look like an American Idol.” In the early rounds, Ruben said, he kept to himself. “I didn’t even really meet people I called friend until after I made the Top 30.” He added, “I was super focused.”
Ruben and his wife Kristin are expecting their second child. He dedicated his new album to her
The singer had more to talk about than his Idol experience. He recently released an album titled The Way I Remember It, dedicated to his wife. He didn’t write the songs on the album. Nevertheless, he said, “Every single song on the album is something I would say to Kristin,” whom he married in 2018.
Ruben also discussed his expanding family. He and his wife are anticipating their second child soon. The two decided not to find out whether the new bundle is a boy or a girl. “We didn’t want to find out!” The two had a son in 2020.
After, Ruben performed a track from the album, “Masterpiece.” He explained that his wife is a Masterpiece. “Beautiful from head to toe,” he said fondly.
Are Ruben and Clay on The Masked Singer?
Speaking of competition. Ruben and Clay MAY BE (ok they obviously ARE) competing together on The Masked Singer as the Beets costume. The two performed “Home” by Michael Buble last week (March 13) , and so far they’ve stumped the judges! Watch the clues and performance HERE.
