Face-to-face with a winner

It’s easy to see why anyone would grab a chance like this. BMG Records Pilipinas invited me to visit the breathtaking garden city of Singapore and chat with American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson.

Is Kelly nice? Is she talkative? Does she have prima donna airs? Is she pretty? From the moment I stepped into the room to wait for my turn to speak with Kelly, I knew the answers. Yes, she’s nice. Yes, she’s talkative, about 100-words-a-minute-talkative. No, she’s clearly no prima donna. She’s pretty, yes, even with a few excess pounds which the metabolism of girls her age can easily burn. And, like other 21-year- olds, everything to her is "cool."

I had 11 questions for Kelly Clarkson but managed to squeeze in two or three more in record time, including one about her and American Idol runner-up Justin Guarini. She replied graciously, unlike her Filipino counterparts who would have replied with the usual "we’re just friends" or with uneasy body language. By the way, Kelly and Justin are just friends.

Kelly talked so fast and in an I’m-so-enthusiastic-so-nothing-can-dampen-my-mood tone. She’s got a good head above her shoulders. She seemed like she was raised with the right kind of values to shield her from the "dragons and dungeons" of the business and she effortlessly struck an instant rapport with the media men from around Asia who flew to Singapore to see her that afternoon.

The budding superstar squealed about how she loved the shoes of MYX’s Mila Labendia. She also recognized that I had on Clinique Happy. She was so comfortable about what she was doing at a moment that you couldn’t help but be comfortable with her, like you would with a younger sister you hadn’t spoken to in a while. Or a younger friend who, like me, is attracted to black. I could have asked her to trade sweaters with me and she’d probably have thought it "cool." All because she was just being herself.

Now I know for sure. In winning a singing competition – or any of life’s contests for that matter – you have to choose the right piece and present it with sheer talent. But you’ll always win by how much sincerity you have that can’t be rehearsed nor scripted nor faked. I enjoyed walking along Orchard Road with Espie Eusebio and Mario Joson of BMG for hours but I bonded with Kelly Clarkson in just 15 minutes. Cool!

On behalf of 96.3 WRock, I invite you to listen to our interview with Kelly Clarkson on Celebrity Minutes today and tomorrow.