More than two decades after “American Idol” changed the TV talent-show landscape forever, Simon Cowell still remembers the exact moment he knew the show had found its star. As the competition marks 23 years since Kelly Clarkson’s historic first-season win, the OG Idol judge and now “America’s Got Talent” judge is looking back on the doubts, discoveries, and defining night that not only launched Clarkson’s superstar career — but also validated “American Idol” itself as a cultural phenomenon.
‘It Was Like a Movie’
Sure, it’s been 23 years since Kelly Clarkson won “American Idol.” We have seen 22 other winners come and go, but Cowell said he hasn’t forgotten about the magical moment when Clarkson was crowned the first winner.
Cowell, who recently appeared on the “Rolling Stones Music Now” podcast, said the moment “was like a dream.” He added, “I do remember actually saying to someone, hypothetically, ‘I’m certain there’s someone out there and he or she’s probably working in a bar, has tried to get a deal, can’t get into the right people or the label, but is brilliant.’ I just had that feeling.”
That feeling did work out, but he had his doubts along the way, especially at the beginning. “Some of the early people we saw in the first couple of cities, everyone was terrible. So I thought this show could be a disaster,” he said.
However, they soon started to find some talent, and within the first 30 semifinalists was Clarkson, the eventual winner. Clarkson would go on to become a chart-topping, Grammy-winning icon.
Cowell said of Clarkson, “You couldn’t have asked for a more perfect winner. And we’re still friends today. She’s [an] amazing person, incredible personality. And just this killer voice. It was like a movie.”
Simon Wanted a Different ‘American Idol’ Finale
While the “American Idol” finale between Clarkson and Justin Guarini seemed like the perfect finale, Cowell doesn’t seem to agree.
Yes, Kelly ended up securing more votes than Justin in that finale to win the show. However, it seems like Simon doesn’t think he should’ve made it that far to begin with.
“I just wish it wasn’t the guy. There was this other girl, Tamyra [Gray], and she was phenomenal,” Cowell said on the podcast. “And the two of them in the final [episode], that could have been amazing. But it didn’t quite work out.”
Kelly Was The Right Choice
As time goes on, we can all agree that Clarkson was the perfect person to win the first season of “American Idol.” She has gone on to release several platinum-certified records, won three Grammy Awards, served as a guest judge on Idol, coached on “The Voice,” and has earned seven Emmys for her daytime talk show, “The Kelly Clarkson Show.”
The duo has remained close. During the ceremony celebrating her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Cowell had nothing but praise for the OG Idol, “She’s one of those people who, from day one, was respectful to the people who voted for her, who bought her records, who bought her tickets, and she’s never lost that. The Kelly you see in front of the camera is that Kelly you see behind the camera.”
He also went on to say that she “validated what we did” on “American Idol” and “if we didn’t find a star, there was no point in doing these shows.”
