20 years ago on September 4^th, then 20-year-old Kelly Clarkson stood nervously beside Justin Guarini on the set of “American Idol” as the two waited to see who would be the show’s first champion. Clarkson reflected on her win with an Instagram post, writing, “20 years ago today I won American Idol and it forever changed the course of my life. That moment was the door that opened up so much access and opportunity, and creative partnerships that I will be grateful for all of my days.” The singer and talk show host concluded with a note of gratitude to the people that voted for her and the friends and family who have surrounded her along the way.

Twenty years has brought about a sea of changes for the 40-year-old mom of two. Since her win, she has had a number of successes and failures, from her frequently panned acting debut in “From Justin to Kelly,” a successful singing career, and she became a regular judge on “The Voice.” She also became the host of her own talk show, “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” with the fourth season premiering on NBC in the coveted 4pm slot on September 12^th, replacing retiring Ellen DeGeneres’s show. Speaking to “Variety” about what it means to take that slot, Clarkson said, “I hold the Oprahs and the Ellens in such high regard. Very few people can conquer what they conquered. My team is very stoked, and I believe in my team. But by no means am I filling anyone shoes — I don’t want that pressure.”

Clarkson’s life since her win hasn’t been without some valleys. She filed for divorce from her husband, Brandon Blackstock, in 2020, with the divorce being finalized March of this year. With the pressure of the divorce and her full schedule, Clarkson recently walked away from her gig as a coach on “The Voice,” saying she needed a break. In her “Variety” interview, the star discussed how the changes have affected her work, saying, “I had some time, finally. I’ve never had a summer off since I was, like, 16, and I was like, ‘I need it off.’ I think that created the space for me to really have time to go, ‘What am I comfortable with? What do I want to release?’” She revealed that her next album will deal with the many emotions she experienced during her divorce. “It’s almost like the arc of a relationship, because the beginning is so beautiful and so sweet, and then it evolves. And sometimes it doesn’t evolve how you want.” When asked how she manages to be so authentic, Clarkson responded, “The biggest thing for me is I never thought I’d be fighting so hard to just be myself. People don’t think what you are is going to sell is going to make them money, and I was like, ‘Well, I am just going to be me. If that happens for you, that’s great. If it doesn’t, sorry.’ It’s worked out, the hard work. But it was very hard.” Clarkson’s season 4 premiere will feature guests such as Garth Brooks, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Hillary and Chelsea Clinton.