Kelly Clarkson: Cowgirl at Heart

Kelly Clarkson is the original winner of American Idol and has gone on to a successful career as a pop singer, yet she considers herself country through and through.

“Even though I’m a pop singer, I really have more the life of a country singer,” the 30-year-old singer told Lucky magazine. “I put on the Hank Williams and the Patsy Cline and the Rosemary Clooney on vinyl — I’m not trying to be some cool indie-rock person, I just love the way it sounds—and throw on a T-shirt and jeans. In Texas, we practically come out of the womb in jeans.”

And Clarkson has been looking fab in her jeans lately due to a recent slim-down.  She told Redbook magazine in a recent interview that her exercise routine involves cardio and strength training using her own body weight.

“Really, what I try to instill in my fans is to be healthy and happy, “ Clarkson said. “I have no desire to be super-skinny.”

Clarkson has another fan who has noticed her confidence and dedication to being healthy – her new boyfriend.

“Oh, there’s all these rumors that I’m a lesbian. I have a boyfriend now, Brandon Blackstock, my manager Narvel’s son. Reba McEntire’s stepson?” Clarkson seemed happy to share and name-drop a bit, proud of her new man.

Continuing to show her country roots, Clarkson told Lucky how she celebrated her recent birthday.

“I just had my 30^th birthday and we went turkey shooting. It’s what I wanted to do, so we went.”

Clarkson has also been busy on the set of the new reality signing competition show Duets, where she is a judge and mentor for contestants.

“Last week, one of the Duets contestants was crying. She said, ‘I have everything up to come here, and I’m scared.’ I thought back to Idol and how I didn’t know much except that I was scared, and that I had nothing left to lose. I told her, ‘That fear? It’s your power in this situation. Use it, because it’s your fire.’”

And Clarkson would know. Since her American Idol win in 2002, she has garnered two Grammy Awards, three MTV Music Awards, twelve Billboard Music Awards, and four American Music Awards.

Clarkson doesn’t seem to be afraid of anything these days, as she continues to be herself, embrace her unique qualities, and radiate confidence despite being a star in Hollywood.