Believe it or not, Kelly Clarkson — the original American Idol — has been nominated for a whopping 17 Grammy Awards, going all the way back to her debut album and the track "Miss Independent." While she's only won three so far, she could make it four tonight with a win for her album Chemistry, which is nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album. Fans know that the eagerly anticipated LP, which debuted last year, was Clarkson's unofficial divorce album, and there's no doubt that the nomination is the icing on the cake to her lengthy divorce and subsequent litigation with her ex, Brandon Blackstock.
The American Idol alum and Voice mentor arrived at the 2024 Grammy Awards red carpet in a sleek white gown with an off-the-shoulder neckline from Jason Wu Collection. The dress had a crossover detail, and the singer accessorized with a white box clutch and, best of all, brought her son Remington "Remy" along as her plus-one.
Clarkson's glam included Old Hollywood waves and a smoky eye. She finished the all-white ensemble with shimmering, dangly earrings.
Clarkson acknowledged the divorce of it all after the nominations were announced last year. In her message, she gave a shoutout to the other artists in the category: Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Miley Cyrus, and Olivia Rodrigo.
"Wow! I am so grateful for every Grammy nomination I have ever received from the @recordingacademy, but this album means so much to me, and this nomination hits differently," she wrote on Instagram. "Thank you so much! I am also so honored to share this nomination with incredible artists like @teddysphotos, @mileycyrus, @taylorswift, and @oliviarodrigo ❤️."
After the release of Chemistry, Clarkson clarified that she never set out to release a "one or two" emotion album. She told fans that she wanted to express the entire arc of her relationship with Blackstock — and clearly, the Recording Academy saw the hard work and raw emotion she put into the project.
"I was trying to find a word; it might be one of the songs on the album, but I was trying to find a word that really described the whole thing," she shared on Instagram. "I didn’t want everybody to think I was just coming out with some 'I’m angry,' 'I’m sad' — just one or two emotions. This album is definitely the arc of an entire relationship."
The last time Clarkson walked the red carpet was in 2018, though she has been regularly nominated at the big show. That year, she was also up for Best Pop Vocal Album with Meaning of Life.