It has been seven years since America's sweetheart Kelly Clarkson won the first series of American Idol, and since then she has bagged herself two Grammy's, sold positively squillions of albums worldwide and enjoyed number ones across the globe. She talks to Pride Life about meeting Barack Obama, drunken retail therapy, and her lesbian following...

 

Do you feel like you've got away from American Idol territory yet?

 

Erm, I don't know, I never think about departing from it, it's how I got in the business and a very cool way. I got millions of fans before I even had an album. I don't know, I don't think about it. I think maybe if you focus on it a lot of attention goes on it. But even on Idol, Simon Cowell will tell you, I've always kind of been my own thing, I'll sing gospel and country and pop/rock stuff.

 

Have you always written songs?

 

Yeah, always. I lived out here writing with people before Idol. So I continued writing. I don't feel like you have to write. There are plenty of good songwriters out there and maybe I'll have an album out one day where I don't write anything. But for the most part I usually do have a lot to say so I do write a lot on the album.

 

Are you quite comfortable with telling so much in your lyrics?

 

I'm comfortable because I realise what it can do for people. God puts us through these situations, whether they're great or horrible, is for a reason. It's great to hear, like when you're talking to friends, you want to talk to a friend who's at least been there. Or if I'm having a problem in the industry, I want to talk to a friend in the industry because they'll actually know what I'm going through. I don't know, that'd why I write about stuff like that. I don't want to filter myself or just write about happy things because life isn't always happy. So you have to write about the things I'm going through because obviously I'm going through them for a reason. So maybe it can help someone.

Do you enjoy spending your hard earned cash?

 

I don't know. I got tipsy with my brother and sister in Vegas and we were on a road trip coming back from the Grand Canyon and we were coming back from LA. I got so tipsy that I ended up buying this ridiculous diamond cross. I was like "I love crosses" and my sister and I were like "That's so pretty." And I ended up buying it. It was a ridiculous amount and it was in the tens of thousands. It was stupid, I felt horrible the next day and was like 'Why did I buy this?!' I wore it to many different things because I thought I had to make the most of it otherwise I just feel like a waste of money. I'm like that when I'm drinking. I become like this different person and go "Oh, pretty, shiny." I'm notoriously known for buying diamonds when I'm tipsy. I'm a completely different person when I'm drunk. All of a sudden I love rings and dresses. I've given away most of the things I buy.

Does it upset you that in magazines it sometimes says you need to lose weight?

 

Oh god, I grew up in a small town where people say left and right like you should not do that with your hair, you should lose weight, you should gain weight, you're looking sickly. It's always different. And I've been in the press and people have said I'm on drugs because I lost too much weight. It was like I was working amazingly hard! Not only on tour but doing the album and all those territory's and you automatically lose weight and put on more weight when you're on vacation. I just don't pay attention to it because I fluctuate like any normal girl. If people think that's abnormal well…cool.

 

You've got a big lesbian following haven't you?

 

I think I have a big lesbian and gay following in general. I have a big group of women that are on my fanbase and they call themselves the Kezbo's. They're awesome and I love them. I don't mind either way, a fan is a fan.

You've never had a moment or done anything like that?

 

Oh no, I like boys. Sometimes I wish I didn't, just because there's so many problems with relationships but that would happen with a boy or a girl.

 

You're quite religious. Is that ever a conflict for you?

 

No, I am a Christian but I think that the bible is a guideline. I don't think it is set in stone. There's certain things that are set in stone, like I don't think you should kill anyone, but I think that it's a book and people will interpret it the way you will. Everybody gets something different from it. Who am I to judge? I make mistakes, regardless of what they are or how big they are in people's eyes. I find it irritating how certain people paint Christians as bad and they say that we're judgemental and we're not.

 

Are you political at all?

I'm getting into it more as I'm getting older because I feel like I've been an idiot for not being as involved as I should have been. But I'm getting in to it now and ever since I ran into Obama in DC in front of a bunch of Senators, this thing called It's the Download. It was kind of eye opening and it was like 'Wow, I want to know who's in what office and would like to be a part of that decision.' So I'm not educated enough yet but I'm getting there.

 

What was Obama like?

 

Really cool. With me, I can always tell if the person pays attention to just me then they're that kind of person but if a person pays attention to everyone else and actually cares and talks to my best friend, people that they don't even know that are with me, then that's cool. I do think it's rather interesting Obama's background and how he grew up and his work ethic is amazing. It's a healthy time. We need change.

 

Kelly Clarkson's single 'My Life Would Suck Without You' is out now and her album 'All I Ever Wanted' is out on 17th March

Great interview, thanks!

I love the bit about Drunken Retail Therapy :lol:

Great interview, also loving the drunk stories.