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Kelly Clarkson has undergone some incredible hair changes since becoming the first American Idol star in 2002. She’s gone from rookie vocal powerhouse to “The Voice” coach to talk show legend, and now she’s got an almost new hairstyle. every era of her impressive career. Many of these changes are due to Clarkson’s talented glam team, which she has praised many times. In 2018, she jokingly told People magazine, “I feel like a mom makeover from the Today show. You come in, you walk out, and you’re like, ‘Damn!'” . I don’t care what’s going on on the glam team, but my team is crazy. ”
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That talent has led to some bold looks, such as when Clarkson debuted a half-shaved head with long blonde hair on the other side in 2015. “I went to the hair girl and thought, ‘I need something different, something that doesn’t make me feel like a mother.'” Because I felt like I was so trapped. Because I felt it,” she explained to PopCrush, admitting that she copied her stylist’s style exactly for what she calls one of her edgiest pieces to date. But this wasn’t the only time Clarkson tried something new with her hair.
2002: Kelly Clarkson was all about thick highlights
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Kelly Clarkson auditioned for American Idol with a whimsical brown bob, but it didn’t take long for her to transform into a celebrity. As she entered the competition, Clarkson’s signature look became a darker version of her original cut with chunky highlights (a style that’s back in 2024). The singer experimented with ups and downs on the show, kept the stripes until her career took off, and even added a red stripe to the cover of her debut album. “What I actually excelled at was the chunky highlights,” Clarkson admitted on the 2019 “Kelly Clarkson Show” digital benefit. “I thought I was very edgy and cool at the time,” she added, also confessing that she’s still a fan of highlights in all their forms. How can you blame her when she’s so good with them?
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2005: She adopted a golden blonde style
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As Kelly Clarkson’s career progressed, she embraced a slightly grungier image. Around the time she released her second album, “Breakaway,” her thick highlighted bob was replaced with long blonde hair that felt better suited to her new pop star persona. The warm golden hue was perfect for her skin tone, but Clarkson wasn’t afraid to experiment beyond color. She appeared at the ReAct Now: Music and Relief Hurricane Benefit concert in September 2005 with a voluminous chest-length ‘do, which may have been aided by extensions. The month before, she looked glamorous and sophisticated at the MTV Video Music Awards wearing a chic pompadour.
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2007: Dark bob is back (no highlights)
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In 2007, Kelly Clarkson underwent a dramatic hair transformation. Amidst the release of his experimental and heavy album ‘My December’, the ‘Since You Been Gone’ hitmaker has gone back to his brunette bob. In February of that year, she debuted a shaggy, choppy version at a press conference with a deep side part and side-swept bangs (all the rage at the time). But when she appeared at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards two months later, she had grown it into something more chic and sophisticated. Clarkson stunned in a classic mid-parted bob that was a glossy deep brunette with warm maroon undertones.
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2016: Glamorous balayage has arrived
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After experimenting with a half-shaved head, by the end of 2016 Kelly Clarkson was a mother of two and seemed ready to embrace a softer hairstyle to suit her new lifestyle. That October, Clarkson appeared on the red carpet with fully grown balayage lights and dirty blonde hair. Easier to customize than classic highlights or babylights, balayage requires fewer touch-ups because root growth is part of the look, making it perfect for busy moms. However, Clarkson was still changing her styling. Two months later, she showed up at the SiriusXM studio with a gorgeously straight mane with a noticeable difference in color between the roots and the ends.
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2023: Kelly Clarkson was hot
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In November 2023, Kelly Clarkson was ready to make a subtle but effective change. The star had her dark blonde hair cut with crisp wispy bangs, which framed her face in the most gorgeous and delicate way. The star softened her bangs with slightly longer sections on either side of her face so they could easily fade into the rest of her hair. Clarkson first debuted the flattering look on Instagram for “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” and fans flooded her with praise. One person wrote: “I love bangs.” “Kelly, you look so great! I love your bangs!” another commented. She kept that look as of September 2024, but slightly modified with a fuller version of the flirty eyelash bangs trend.
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