Kelly Clarkson may have launched her career by winning the very first season of American Idol in 2002, but behind the scenes, her rise to superstardom was anything but smooth.
In a revealing chat on SiriusXM Hits 1 alongside fellow The Voice coach John Legend, Clarkson opened up about the resistance she faced from music executives who underestimated her because of her reality TV roots. Despite releasing her debut album Thankful in 2003, she said many at her label dismissed her as just a “talent show winner”—not a serious songwriter.
Clarkson shared that one of her most personal songs, Because of You, was flat-out rejected for her first album. Executives reportedly criticized the track harshly, even calling it “the worst song ever.” For Clarkson, that response was crushing—not because it wasn’t chosen as a single, but because she felt her artistry wasn’t being taken seriously. “It holds deep meaning for me,” she explained, adding that she quickly learned many industry power players were focused more on profit than passion.
Refusing to back down, Clarkson kept fighting for the song—and it ultimately landed on her 2004 album Breakaway. The gamble paid off in a massive way. Because of You soared to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, topped the U.S. Pop Airplay chart, and has since racked up hundreds of millions of streams, becoming one of the defining songs of her career.
Looking back, Clarkson said the experience taught her a powerful lesson: executives come and go, but fans are forever. After cycling through multiple label heads in just a few years, she realized the only constant was the audience who believed in her. “It really comes down to staying true to your passion,” she reflected—a mindset that clearly helped turn rejection into one of the biggest hits of her career.
