Kelly Clarkson Is Victorious on Christina Aguilera’s ‘Fighter’

The Kelly Clarkson Show has returned for a fifth season and the multitalented host kicked things off with a cover of Christina Aguilera’s “Fighter.”

Taking the stage in an all-black dress and heels, Clarkson delivered a powerful rendition of the 2002 hit song from Aguilera’s fourth studio album, Stripped. The record saw the “Beautiful” singer shed her teen pop princess image to reveal a bolder, realer self — which Clarkson echoes in her “Kellyoke” segment as she sings the chorus: “Makes me that much stronger/Makes me work a little bit harder/Makes me that much wiser/So thanks for making me a fighter.”

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During an interview with USA Today earlier this month, Clarkson discussed leaving The Voice after nine seasons amid personal struggles. “Full disclosure, I put on a smile a lot of those times because I was struggling a lot in my personal life,” Clarkson said. “I’ve learned a lot about what I’m capable of handling and also what you should not handle. That was me saying ‘bye’ to The Voice and having this big move.”

As she set to launch the next season of her talk show, Clarkson said that today she feels like “a weight has lifted.” She added: “That move was very needed. I think the thing I’m most excited about with season 5, on a selfish level, is just showing up to work smiling and actually meaning it. That’s a beautiful gift that you don’t realize until you’re out of it.”

Clarkson is also bringing back her Chemistry: An Intimate Evening residency to Las Vegas. On Monday, she announced a pair of dates surrounding New Year’s Eve and Super Bowl weekend next February.

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