Kelly Clarkson allowed her powerhouse vocals to shine with an impressive cover of a chart-topping Lainey Wilson hit during her Las Vegas residency.
The GRAMMY Award-winning superstar treated the audience to a cover of “Heart Like A Truck,” a song from Wilson’s acclaimed album, Bell Bottom Country.
Before belting out the Wilson tune, Clarkson expressed her admiration for the reigning ACM Female Artist Of The Year and praised her sophomore album, which also earned the title of ACM Album Of The Year.
Kelly Clarkson Admits She’s “Obsessed” With Lainey Wilson
“This next song that we’re going to do is a country song and I love this artist and this is really hard for me to say, because not shaming any artist, but I tend to love like ’80s and ’90s country that’s just what I grew up on,” Clarkson said. “So I love it and I love anything that sounds like or that is a derivative of it. I love it. There’s this new artist, I had her on my show and I fell in love with her and her name is Lainey Wilson.”
She continued, “I’m in love with her, I think she’s so cool and I am obsessed… I literally spent this summer at my ranch in Montana like I listened to this record nonstop… like I love not just the song… I’m sorry I’m old, I mean the whole album. I love this entire album and this was probably her biggest hit from that album so far. I really relate to it.”
She then went on to perform “Heart Like A Truck.”
Watch Clarkson’s Performance Below
This marked the first time that Clarkson has ever performed the song live, as before her performance she admitted, “I’ve never sang this until soundcheck today.”
Each night of her Vegas residency, the hitmaker performs a different cover as a nod to her infamous Kellyoke Series, which originated on her Emmy Award-winning talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show.
“You killed it sister! Can’t thank you enough for all of the support,” Wilson wrote when reposting a video of Clarkson’s impressive cover of the song that was shared by a concertgoer.
Clarkson Previously Gushed Over Wilson’s Music
This isn’t the first time Clarkson has praised Lainey Wilson.
“If you’re needing a break from listening to my new album “Chemistry” then check out @laineywilson “Wildflowers and wild horses” & @codyjohnson “When it comes to you” you’re gonna love both these artists… or you have shi– taste,” Clarkson shared via Twitter last month.
Wilson was quick to respond to Clarkson’s praise, sharing, “Well dang, this means the world from you sister. Love you!”
Chemistry…An Intimate Night With Kelly Clarkson
Clarkson recently kicked off her 10-date Las Vegas residency, dubbed Chemistry…An Intimate Night With Kelly Clarkson, on July 28 at Bakkt Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.
“I am so excited for these shows and couldn’t think of a better place to get back on stage than Las Vegas! The crowds in Vegas are such an amazing collection of people that simply want to have a great time and that’s what we’re going to do!” said Kelly Clarkson via a press release. “So many of my musical idols have had, and still have, incredible residencies on The Strip, and I’m so excited to create my own!”
Vegas Residency Runs Through August 19
Chemistry…An Intimate Night with Kelly Clarkson, which runs through August 19, features a set list full of Clarkson’s biggest hits and a unique, intimate production that was built specifically for the venue, formerly known as Zappos Theater.
“I’ll be straight up: I’m gonna be that artist who’s definitely gonna give you all those songs you want to hear, because I hate when I go to shows and people don’t give me that,” Clarkson previously told Billboard. “So you’re gonna hear all the ones that, honestly, we haven’t performed in forever. We haven’t been able to!”
During the interview, Clarkson also promised that “all 10 shows will be different,” and that “there’s definitely gonna be the hits in all of them, but we’re sprinkling in covers that people have liked or album tracks that people have liked here and there. … I’m going to hit all the [new] albums, just on different nights.”
The remaining dates of Clarkson’s Vegas residency include Aug. 9, 11, 12, 18, and 19.
New Album, Chemistry
Clarkson’s Las Vegas residency stint comes in celebration of her latest project, Chemistry, which is a result of her 2020 divorce from husband, Brandon Blackstock.
“The whole divorce thing happened, and I needed to write it,” Clarkson told Variety in September of 2022. “And then I didn’t know if I was going to release it because you can be very angry in that state of mind. So some of the songs, they definitely cover the gamut of emotions; there’s everything on the album. It’s almost like the arc of a relationship because the beginning is so beautiful and sweet, and then it evolves. And sometimes it doesn’t evolve how you want.”
Throughout the album, Clarkson opens up about her personal life within the lyrics.
“Having chemistry with someone is an incredible and overwhelming feeling. It’s like you have no choice in the matter. You are just drawn to each other. This can be good and bad,” Clarkson explained on Instagram. “This album takes you down every path that chemistry could lead you down. We decided to release “mine” and “me” at the same time because I didn’t want to release just one song to represent an entire album or relationship. There are many stages of grief and loss on this album. Each song is a different stage and emotional state.”
Chemistry is a two-sided, 14 track project that features the fan favorite tunes such as “Me,” “Mine,” “Red Flag Collector” and more.
For additional information on Kelly Clarkson’s upcoming shows and new music, visit her official website HERE.