Kelly Clarkson, the original American Idol winner and one of the nation’s reigning pop sweethearts, still has an epic fan base. She’s left her mark with countless hit singles over the years, but one performance stands out from the rest.
Not only was Clarkson’s moving rendition of the beloved 19th-century Christmas carol “Silent Night“ brilliantly received, but the singer had a couple of surprises up her sleeve. Taking center stage in a beautiful off-the-shoulder red dress in a performance on December, 2013, Clarkson sang out the first verse of the holiday classic with emotion.
However, her rendition was not to remain solo for long.
As the audience watched, an anticipant whisper crept up from the crowd; a figure was moving toward Clarkson from the back of the stage. Suddenly, her face was illuminated, and the audience squealed as country music star Trisha Yearwood stood center stage with her surprise duet partner.
Perfectly poised, Yearwood’s vocals poured an extra serving of heartfelt emotion onto Clarkson’s performance. In an elegant, floor-length black gown, Yearwood, 54, took the lead on the next verse while Clarkson, overjoyed at sharing the stage with one of her idols, added pitch-perfect harmonies.
The two women, a country music legend and a pop princess, transformed the Christmas ditty from a sweet carol into an epic ballad of faith and love. Clarkson simply couldn’t keep her eyes off her idol the entire time. But the surprises weren’t over yet.
As Clarkson and Yearwood sang in harmony, a third figure entered from stage left and gently sauntered toward the singing pair. The figure came into focus: Reba McEntire! A legend among fans and musicians alike, McEntire, 64, is renowned for her swooning vocals and performance expertise.
Taking charge of the third refrain, McEntire, dressed in an equally striking floor-length number, swapped affectionate glances with her fellow performers while singing her country heart out. The cheers of the audience spoke volumes.
Viewers didn’t hold back in their praise. “Voices of angels,” wrote one. “Sounds like one of the sweetest lullabies.”
“Kelly is trying to balance two very different thoughts,” wrote another viewer with a comedic bent: “‘I have to get this song right,’ and ‘Look who I’m singing with!’” they joked.
But she did get it right. Clarkson has come a long, long way from the 20-year-old bar singer from Texas she once was, singing for Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, and Simon Cowell’s approval in a homemade denim outfit.
The power trio of Kelly Clarkson, Trisha Yearwood, and Reba McEntire made this version of “Silent Night” one for the history books. Will they ever come together to perform again? Who knows, but luckily, this epic rendition is immortalized forever on YouTube to be watched over and over again.
Kelly’s doing it! It doesn’t even have to be Christmastime.
Louise Chambers
Author
Louise Chambers is a writer, born and raised in London, England. She covers inspiring news and human interest stories.
