By MICHAEL STARR http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/64438.htm December 12, 2002 -- KELLY Clarkson may not be the doe-eyed amateur she appeared to be when she won "American Idol" last summer. Clarkson may have already had a recording contract - and was in the middle of making a record for someone else - when she showed up to audition for the show, Star magazine is reporting. If true, that means Clarkson may have violated the show's rule about being an amateur with no prior professional singing experience. According to Star, Clarkson - who got a $1 million recording contract that spawned her No. 1 song "A Moment Like This" when she won the talent show - was already recording an album with three producers (including Carole King's ex-husband, Gerry Goffin) before appearing on the show. "She knew what she was doing, but it's coming back to haunt her in a big, big way," a source tells Star. "She's trying to make herself out as this innocent American sweetheart - now it's coming out she's a phony and a liar." According to the show's rules, contestants had to be complete amateurs and each of them signed releases stating they had never recorded anything. Noted songwriters Michael Blum, Barry Goldberg and Goffin now claim they had Clarkson under contract a month before the "Idol" auditions began, the magazine says. "She signed a production agreement with us in early March to record a full slate of 12 songs for an album, but after doing five wonderful songs, she walked out," Goldberg tells Star. "The next time I saw her was on TV a couple of months later competing on ‘American Idol.' It came as quite a shock." Blum, Goldberg and Goffin have hired hotshot Hollywood lawyer Jay Cooper in an effort to get three of the songs released. Officials for Fox and 19 Productions, the management company behind "American Idol," declined to comment yesterday on the allegations. Clarkson, a 20-year-old cocktail waitress from Texas, beat out Justin Guarini to snare the "American Idol" crown and signed a two-year deal with 19 Entertainment. Her shot to the top of the Billboard charts in record time, and she'll star in the "Idol" movie, "From Justin to Kelly," which begins filming next month.
Not that I am a big American Idol or Kelly Clarkson fan, but this line says it all. If she had not "recorded anything" then there is not an argument. If she did, well, then I would like to hear the tape and then it should be addressed. Plus, look at the source, if the Enquirer came out with this story it would have more credibility than The Post. Interesting nonetheless.
Didn't watch the show, and her song SUCKS. I cannot for the life of me see how that was #1. Thank god for my CD player.
Kelly is an amazing talent but unfortunately they are wanting to make her a pop star. The songs she recorded suck but it isnt because she isnt any good. I think that they (her management) will ruin her for sure.
Well, the folks are supposedly claiming she recorded five songs before walking out. I'm sure the legalese is more detailed than just "never recorded anything" since having her mother videotape her singing karoke would technically be recording something. On the local news here in Dallas last night, they gave the impression that she was recording a demo tape and hired folks to help her with that. But the television report was not all that clear.
At this point what difference does it make if she was not an amature? What are they going to do tell her ... "you're not the winner now, and all the exposure you got doesn't count anymore." ... Even if they release her from her contract she got from American Idol they might be doing her a favor by not making her sing those crappy songs they've been writing for her. In my opinion she would be much better as a country singer, and I don't even like country music.
The best singer on that show was Tamyra Gray. She was robbed. No way is Kelly Clarkson more talented than she is.
