Kelly Clarkson has the 'best entourage' for her return to 'American Idol'

Kelly Clarkson returned to the stage where it all began for her 13 years ago. On Wednesday, she performed on American Idol after winning the first season. The AI alum appeared on the show to mentor the nine contestants remaining in season 14 and show off her incredible vocal talents once again.

Waiting backstage for her this time was a very different crew. Kelly shared an adorable picture of husband Brandon Blackstock and their daughter River Rose, who will be 10 months on April 12. The singer captioned the pic, "My entourage outside my dressing room at #AmericanIdol today :)"

Kelly's daughter River Rose and husband Brandon waited for her backstage at the show Photo: Instagram

Despite her incredible fame and success, the songstress has found new happiness with Brandon and their daughter. "My best friend always said, 'You just want to create the family you never had.' I might be doing that," Kelly told PEOPLE. "I've accomplished a lot, but I guess the biggest success I want is that whenever I die people will say 'She was so successful as a mother, and as a wife.' That's kind of my big goal."

During the show, the audience got a glimpse of how cute River is as her picture was projected on the big screen. Kelly then made a comment alluding to the possibility that baby number two isn't far off. "She looks just like her daddy," Kelly said. "So, we have to have another one because I want one to look like me."

Now a three-time Grammy winner, the 32-year-old also performed her 2001 audition song "At Last" causing current judges Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban to give her standing ovation. "I'm so excited to meet you," Harry told Kelly on the episode. "I'm a huge fan."

Kelly posed with the American Idol judges after performing two songs Photo: Instagram

She also gave the audience a taste of her new music by singing her new hit "Heartbeat Song," which she also hit out of the park proving why she won the music contest in the first place.

The new mom looked stunning in a red and black dress, a far cry from the denim sleeveless dress and black pants she first wore on the show. And just to understand how far the star has come, viewers got a look back at her epic journey in a montage of Kelly's rise to fame starting with her 2001 audition with Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson.


Kelly first auditioned for American Idol in 2001 Photo: Getty Images

Since then she has showed off her talents during President Obama’s second inauguration, to Pope Benedict XVI and a bunch of mega football fans at the Super Bowl in 2012, not to mention she has sold upwards of 20 million records along the way.

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