Kelly Clarkson had a full circle moment from her American Idol days, from messing up a Celine Dion song on the show to now earning her praise after covering My Heart Will Go On.
Responding to Dion’s sweet message, the Original American Idol took to her Instagram to share how much it meant to her, especially considering her earlier struggles covering one of Dion’s songs.
“22 years ago on American Idol, I got laryngitis. Everybody got sick one week because they worked us ragged,” Clarkson, 42, explained in the video.
She revealed that during that week, she had to perform Dion’s I Surrender while battling illness.
“I bawl that night because I’m just mortified that Céline Dion is going to see this performance. I could have cared less about votes at that point,” Clarkson recalled.
Describing the performance as “so bad” due to her condition, the three-time Grammy winner joked that her recent performance was redemption for the shaky Idol cover.
“I felt like I sang [My Heart Will Go On] alright, you know? I didn’t have laryngitis, I wasn’t sick, and I got to honour someone who is such a hero to me vocally,” she reflected.
Dion, 56, had earlier praised Clarkson in an Instagram Reel, first recalling how her own 2024 Olympics performance had made the Kelly Clarkson Show hostess tear up, much like Clarkson now made Dion cry.
“I just saw you singing My Heart Will Go On, and I’m crying again. You were absolutely incredible, fantastic… I hope we can see each other in person soon… and I hope we’re not going to start crying. I love you so much.”
