Getty Kelly Clarkson
On the heels of releasing her “Kellyoke” EP, “The Voice” coach and “American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson is launching her own “American Idol”-type contest and the winner gets to sing a duet with the pop superstar herself!
Here’s what you need to know about auditioning for the contest:
Clarkson is Taking the Show on the Road to Find ‘Some of the Greatest Voices Across America’
Clarkson announced on her show’s official YouTube channel that they are conducting a nationwide search for a top-notch vocalist to duet with her on one of her biggest hits, “Since U Been Gone.” The contest is called “Kellyoke Search” as a nod to the singer’s talk show segment where she covers different songs by famous artists each episode. In fact, Clarkson released a “Kellyoke” EP in June 2022 featuring her covers of songs by Linda Rondstadt, Whitney Houston, Billie Eilish and more. And now she’s looking for her own new duet partner.
“Hey, what’s up, America? Have you ever wanted to sing a duet with me? I thought so. Well, your chance is finally here. This summer, we’re taking ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’ on the road to find some of the greatest voices across America and virtually on TikTok using the hashtag #kellyokesearch. Come sing a virtual duet with me to one of my songs — maybe you’ve heard it!” explained Clarkson, as a clip plays of her singing “Since U Been Gone.”
She added, “We might even feature some of our favorite performances on the show. Alright, see you all soon! Well, or, I’ll hear you soon!”
Here are the dates and locations to audition:
- August 21 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and August 23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. local time in New York at Rockefeller Plaza
- August 27 from noon to 7 p.m. local time in Chicago at Navy Pier
- September 3 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time in Dallas, Texas at Klyde Warren Park
- September 7 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time in Los Angeles at Universal Studios City Walk
- Or duet on TikTok using #kellyokesearch starting August 21, tag @kellyclarksonshow
All the details and rules for auditioning can be found here on “The Kelly Clarkson Show’s” official website. Its advice to potential auditionees is: “We want to HEAR YOUR VOICES and your AUTHENTIC performances! Be UNIQUELY YOU!”
What Does This Mean For ‘The Voice’?
You may be wondering what this means for “The Voice.” At this point in time, it shouldn’t affect “The Voice” at all. Clarkson was already planning on sitting out for the upcoming 22nd season of the singing competition series, which premieres on Monday, September 19 on NBC.
Former coach Gwen Stefani is stepping back into her coach’s chair in Clarkson’s absence and new coach Camila Cabello is taking over for departing coach Ariana Grande.
Plus, this Kellyoke Search sounds like a one-off deal — though we would not be at all surprised if NBC is monitoring its success as a possible spinoff series for Clarkson. Not only has she been a popular “Voice” coach and hosts a popular daytime talk show for NBC, but they also launched a singing competition series hosted by Clarkson and Snoop Dogg back in March 2022 because “The Voice” only airs in the fall now.
Unfortunately, “American Song Contest,” which was like a U.S. version of “Eurovision,” did not exactly live up to expectations, averaging just 1.8 million viewers per episode according to Showbuzz Daily’s ratings numbers — whereas season 21 of “The Voice” averaged nearly 7 million viewers per episode, according to the same website.
“The Voice” will returns for its 22nd season on Monday, September 9 at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific times on NBC.
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