CBBC Music: Kelly Clarkson Answers Your Questions

8th November 2011

Music superstar Kelly Clarkson takes time from her busy schedule to answer some of your questions from the CBBC Messageboards.  Find out what inspires her, what she gets up to in her spare time and what life is like when you're an international superstar!

Read on, then check out Kelly's Artist Page at CBBC Music!

Ready?  Here we go...

Dear Kelly, have you always liked to sing or have you wanted to be something else? amberloopyfirefly

Kelly: Oh yeah, I totally thought I would be a dancer.  I love dancing; I did tap, jazz, hip hop, ballet, all that stuff when I was younger. I didn’t even really know I could sing – I just loved music! I’d always had a big passion for music; I just started singing and realised I’m a lot better at that, so I decided to do that!

Hi Kelly, I am your number one fan!  I wanted to ask, when did you start writing songs and why? crystalwatercollie

Kelly: I started writing around when I was 13. I had a really hard time communicating back then, especially when I was upset about something and so my mum told me maybe I should start writing a journal to keep my feelings in. Eventually my journal started turning into poems and then into song lyrics. Then I’d start writing them into songs and I had a little keyboard in my room.

If you could have any style, what would it be and if you weren't singing, what would you be doing? RedVioletCookingUnicorn

Kelly: I love pop because you can incorporate everything. If I wasn’t singing I would probably own a bookstore... I love books more than the average human being!

Who or what inspired you to become a singer? StarstoneTangyCobra

Kelly: Honestly what inspired me was the fact that I had a hard time communicating – I really just felt that it was therapeutic for me. But also watching people like Annie Lennox and Aretha Franklin get up and wail on stage and you can hear their heart breaking on stage while they were singing. I was so captivated by that.  And the first time I saw Stevie Tyler from Aerosmith on stage and I was like ‘Wow, what is this?!’ I was really attracted to it.

Watching you has inspired me to write my own songs and I wondered whether you had any advice? SilverMegaLizard

Kelly: The best advice for writing is just to be honest, because the believability factor is so key. People can see right through it,  it is very transparent when people are trying to write a number one or trying hard to write something that will be popular so my advice is just be honest.

Hi Kelly, I've got a school play audition coming up soon.  All my friends are joining in and I don't like singing or performing.  I actually am scared of performing in front of my friends.  Can you give me any advice? GreenRockingChimp

Kelly: I’ve never been shy of performing myself, but remember it’s meant to be creative and fun. You might [mess] up but it’s ok, who cares! Everyone [messes] up – big huge famous stars who are talented [mess] up so there you go – there’s nothing wrong with it. Singing, dancing or whatever it is you do, it’s meant to be a fun thing.  Pick a song that you love and that you can really sell.

Hi Kelly, what song are you most proud of? BeigeVanillaKiwi

Kelly: Probably my favourite song I’ve recorded or written is ‘If you Love Me’. It was a really hard song for me to write after a very bad situation and so I was really proud of myself to finally get it out. It took me 10 years to get it out!

How does it feel to be a famous popstar and do you get scared on set and while you're recording your new singles? SapphireGigglySpider

Kelly: I never really wanted to be famous, it was never my goal – you can ask my parents and friends!  I just love singing and fame is just a bi-product of what I do. I’m such a big giant nerd that I just think it’s funny that I’m famous. I have no idea why people would watch me on television, I don’t get it and that’s why it doesn’t bother me!

You started on American Idol and have become one of, if not the biggest star to come from a show like that.  How does it feel to be where you are now from being an ordinary girl who decided to enter a talent show? SilverDreamyDuck

Kelly: I think it feels good at any point in your life if you feel successful. I work really hard, so it’s nice to be recognised for that and I’m proud of it.  It’s also a testament to my team… I didn’t do this all by myself, I’ve got a great team!

Roughly how long does it take to create a song? DiamondLaughingDragon

Kelly:  I write songs pretty quickly. If I don’t write a song quickly then it’s usually going to be a bad song. Like ‘Miss Independent’ or ‘Because of You’, anything I wrote in 25 mins or less – usually because I am trying to get something out and so it just flows pretty easily and if it doesn’t then I don’t write it. The first draft is normally what it ends up as being with a few little changes.  But once I’ve written a song it can then take forever to actually get it made!

If you were a food, what food would you be and why? OrangepaintingPigeon

Kelly: I would be Salsa, because I could eat salsa on everything…  I love it, it’s so good!

What do you do if you hear one of your songs at a party or on the radio? CarmineGlossyHoneyBee

Kelly: That depends. Most times I will turn it off but sometimes, if I’m in the mood I will turn it up and sing along like a dork!

What kind of things do you do when you have some spare time? ApricotGlowingJellyfish

Kelly: I love going to movies - I am a big movie buff, I am also an avid reader. I haven’t seen a movie in ages - I don’t even know what is out right now. I also love going to book stores – I’m a nerd!

If you could invent something what would you invent and why? SilverCupcakeGerbil

Kelly: I’d invent a flying car, because I am amazed it’s like almost 2012 and we don’t have flying cars yet. When I was a kid I totally thought we would have flying cars by now. Or like Star Trek – why can’t we teleport?  We are totally smart enough to figure that out by now!

A big thanks to all our Boardies who posted questions! Don't forget to keep an eye on the CBBC Messageboards for details of our next exciting interview...