“I love that song. I love that movie. Oh, I love this season,” Clarkson gushed
Kelly Clarkson just delivered yet another holiday grand-slam with a dazzling performance of “White Christmas” that could inspire even the grumpiest of Scrooges to get into the festive spirit.
Clarkson is no stranger to bringing a holiday standard to life, recording not one but two holiday albums throughout her mythic tenure and gracing listeners with jolly original hits like “Underneath the Tree” and her smash duet with Ariana Grande, “Santa, Can’t You Hear Me.” But Clarkson also holds a special place in her heart for the classics, kicking off the December 10 episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show with an intimate performance of Bing Crosby’s iconic “White Christmas.”
To say that Clarkson’s performance was breathtaking is an understatement. From the moment she began singing, she had the entire audience mesmerized with her pitch-perfect tone and delicate delivery, creating a truly angelic performance.
After encouraging the audience to give it up for her music director Jason Halbert’s performance on the keys, Clarkson sang her praises of Crosby’s beloved classic.
“I love that song. I love that movie. Oh, I love this season,” the Emmy-winning host gushed with the crowd, before revealing they’d styled the Clarkson Show studio in a likeness to her own holiday hideaway in Montana.
“As you can see, we are having our own White Christmas on the show right now,” Clarkson said. “It’s reminiscent of my ranch in Montana ’cause that’s where I am at Christmas, ’cause life is awesome. We’ve got the crackling fireplace, rustic chandeliers, and of course, beautifully decorated true-to-life trees.”
What to know about “White Christmas”
While “White Christmas” has been on holiday playlists for decades, the track actually hails from a decade before the iconic Christmas film’s release. “White Christmas” was written by Irving Berlin for the 1942 musical film Holiday Inn, made famous with Bing Crosby’s performance of the dreamy song.
The track, which envisions an old-fashioned, snowy Christmas setting, earned an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 1943 Academy Awards.
A decade later in 1954, Crosby reimagined the track as the star of the hit musical film White Christmas, where it became the titular hit. Since White Christmas‘ release, dozens of artists have covered the track over the years, including Michael Bublé, Gwen Stefani, Meghan Trainor, and Clarkson for her 2013 holiday album Wrapped in Red.