Kelly Clarkson knows talent when she sees it.
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During a recent conversation with reporters, following the April 6 episode of The Voice, Clarkson admitted that she had an inkling who would make it to the semi-finals from the beginning of the season.
"If I'm being honest, these were the three from the jump," Clarkson said, via People. "...I had a weird season. I did the blinds, and then I wasn't able to be there for the rehearsal of the Battles. But these were the three from the blinds that definitely stood out for me. All three, the commonalities, they're very different artists."
Despite noting the contestants' differences, Clarkson admitted that they all shared one specific trait: they possessed a "certain level of raw soul that I love."
Clarkson rose to fame as the winner of the inaugural season of American Idol. As such, she has a keen eye for what type of talents can excel in these types of compeition. The beautiful thing about talent is that you can spot it across genres; it's not defined by the style of music, but rather the musician creating it.
"It doesn't matter the genre of music for me," Clarkson continued. "I always like to have a lot of different variety on my team but these three from the jump have made me cry at some point. They're all really gifted."
Kelly Clarkson Wants Her Contestants To Put Their Personality Into Their Music
A common trope we hear across all the reality talent shows is that the best singers find a way to take a song and make it their own. That's exactly what Clarkson is asking of her group as we head toward the semifinals.
Clarkson recalled a conversation she had with Mikenley Brown as a way of explaining that mindset.
"Even down to your wardrobe. You come out here and I was like, 'I want that sweater.' You pick songs that people are familiar with, but you always put a twist on them," she continued. "You always go to these really cool places that not many artists go, which I think is very cool and interesting and sets you apart."
Kelly's group is in a really strong position heading into the next round. Hopefully, her eye for talent and wisdom on shows such as this can give the group some sort of edge.
