Kelly Clarkson Bids Farewell to Daytime TV with Viral Performance of 'Golden'

A Final Kellyoke to Remember

When Kelly Clarkson walked onto the stage of "The Kelly Clarkson Show" for the last time on Aug. 31, she left audiences with a performance that has since echoed far beyond the studio. The singer and host closed out the show's seven-season run with a cover of "Golden" from the Netflix animated film "KPop Demon Hunters," a song she described as the "most requested Kellyoke EVER" in the show's history.

The performance, which was prerecorded a few days before the finale, showed Clarkson taking on the song's demanding high notes, including Korean lyrics, before she appeared on stage to introduce the clip. "That is a very high song," she said afterward, adding, "I was like, 'Let's go for it.'"

The decision to feature "Golden" was no small one. The song, co-written by singer EJAE, held the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for eight consecutive weeks and became the longest-leading song from a movie soundtrack of the decade, surpassing the previous record set by "We Don't Talk About Bruno" from "Encanto," as reported by Billboard. "KPop Demon Hunters" is also the most-watched film in Netflix history, according to the Deseret News.

Taking on such a beloved track came with pressure, but the response suggests Clarkson hit the mark. A video of the performance has amassed 14 million views on Facebook and over 1 million likes on Instagram, as reported by the Deseret News.

EJAE, who co-wrote the song, called Clarkson's rendition an honor, writing, "U absolutely killed it." Lin-Manuel Miranda also weighed in on Instagram, commenting, "Kelly done healed the honmoon by herself." Fans were equally enthusiastic, with many praising Clarkson for singing in Korean. "As a K-pop fan, thank you for taking the time to learn the Korean and including it in the song instead of skipping over it!" one commenter wrote, while another said, "Of course Kelly Clarkson made sure the Korean she sang was as accurate as possible for a non native speaker."

The final episode was built around audience favorites, with a segment called "Kelly by Request" that featured storytelling and fan-requested songs, including a set of Clarkson's own hits. Showrunner Alex Duda explained the approach, telling People that the finale was "made for the audience." "For seven years, we listened to them like, 'What songs did you want to hear and what moments did you want to see again?'" she said. "So it seemed like the right thing to do was to do a whole show that was by request." Duda also credited Clarkson's ability to "connect" with people as the show's secret ingredient.

The Road to Goodbye

Clarkson first announced in February that she would be ending her daytime talk show, which premiered in September 2019 and went on to earn 24 Daytime Emmy Awards over its run of more than 1,200 episodes. In a statement shared at the time, she said the decision would "allow me to prioritize my kids, which feels necessary and right for this next chapter of our lives."

Clarkson shares 12-year-old daughter River Rose and 10-year-old son Remington Alexander with her ex-husband Brandon Blackson, who died in August 2025, as reported by TODAY. The decision to step away followed that loss, according to People, with Clarkson citing her desire to focus on her children. River and Remy made a special appearance on the finale.

In a TODAY interview with Carson Daly on Feb. 20, Clarkson explained the timing further. "I think everybody probably gets the timing," she said. "Our family life, the..." — the quote was not fully captured in available reporting, but Clarkson has consistently pointed to her family as the driving factor.

She ended the finale with her signature sign-off: "Have a great day. And if it's not, change it!"

What's Next

While the talk show chapter has closed, Clarkson isn't stepping away from the spotlight entirely. She will return as a coach on Season 30 of "The Voice," which premieres Sept. 21, as reported by the Deseret News.

The performance of "Golden" may serve as a fitting capstone to a show that built its reputation on Clarkson's renditions of other artists' hits. Over the years, she performed more than 800 covers, per Entertainment Weekly, making her final choice all the more significant — a song she said fans demanded more than any other.