Kelly Clarkson Reveals the One Kellyoke Song That Nearly Defeated Her — Even Her 10-Year-Old Son Couldn’t Resist Commenting on Those Brutal High Notes

Kelly Clarkson built a reputation for making almost any song sound effortless during seven seasons of Kellyoke.

But one of her most celebrated performances was anything but easy behind the scenes.

The Grammy winner has revealed that “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters pushed her harder than almost any song she had tackled for The Kelly Clarkson Show — and even her 10-year-old son Remington noticed just how much she was struggling with its towering notes.

“That sounds real high,” he repeatedly told his mom as she practiced at home.

Clarkson couldn’t exactly disagree.

“It took me forever to place it to where I didn’t sound like a dying cat,” she joked.

And there was extra pressure attached to this particular performance.

It would become the final Kellyoke of her seven-season talk show.

Clarkson chose the song her viewers wanted most

Speaking on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Clarkson reflected on ending The Kelly Clarkson Show after seven seasons and the challenge of choosing one final song for the segment that became synonymous with the series.

Performing Kellyoke every day had been Clarkson’s idea from the beginning.

Over the years, she tackled songs from virtually every corner of popular music, often putting her own vocal spin on hits originally associated with completely different artists.

When the talk show concluded on August 31, however, Clarkson wanted the final performance to reflect what her audience wanted.

“Golden” was the obvious choice.

According to Clarkson, the KPop Demon Hunters smash was the “most requested” song.

Originally performed by EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI as fictional group HUNTR/X, the song presented Clarkson with a challenge even she wasn’t accustomed to.

‘I had never practiced that hard on a song’

Clarkson is used to adapting quickly.

She said she and her musicians could often deal with last-minute song changes and perform material “on the fly.”

“Golden” was different.

“That song is basically humans against AI,” Clarkson joked.

“I had never practiced that hard on a song.”

The problem wasn’t simply learning the melody.

“But that one, it is very high and hard,” she explained.

That meant Clarkson had to spend considerably more time figuring out how to position the song comfortably in her voice while still delivering the demanding notes live.

Her son Remington provided a brutally straightforward review of the rehearsals.

Her son’s reaction said everything

Clarkson shares daughter River Rose, 11, and son Remington Alexander, 10.

And according to the singer, Remington has little interest in pretending something sounds easy simply because his mother is one of the most celebrated vocalists of her generation.

As Clarkson practiced “Golden” at home, her son kept walking past and making the same observation.

“That sounds real high,” he told her.

Clarkson remembered responding: “It is, Remington! I’m working on placement!”

She could laugh about it afterward, but finding that placement took serious work.

“It took me forever to place it to where I didn’t sound like a dying cat,” she said.

Clarkson admitted that performing the song live could feel especially unforgiving.

“It’s a weird song to sing live and not feel like you’re just offending everyone,” she joked.

Still, she loved the song enough to keep working until she was satisfied.

The reaction made all that work worthwhile

When Clarkson finally performed “Golden” as her last Kellyoke, fans responded enthusiastically.

For someone who has delivered hundreds of covers and spent decades being praised for her voice, Clarkson admitted the positive reaction meant more than viewers might have realized.

“I’m gonna be really honest with you here. I was so proud when people liked it,” she said. “I worked really hard.”

She had even attempted to record a second version as insurance.

That plan didn’t last long.

Clarkson said she tried the song again so she would have a backup performance, only to realize the second attempt wasn’t as strong.

She stopped rather than continuing to fight it.

The singer laughingly summed up just how demanding “Golden” had been with a characteristically unfiltered admission.

“That song… made me its bitch a little bit,” she said.

The final Kellyoke closed a seven-season chapter

The performance carried additional emotional weight because it wasn’t simply another cover.

It marked the end of Kellyoke and The Kelly Clarkson Show after seven seasons.

Clarkson had performed the segment throughout the show’s run, turning everything from pop and rock classics to country favorites into her own interpretations.

Ending with a song that required more preparation than almost anything she had previously attempted made the farewell particularly fitting.

But Clarkson isn’t stepping away from television entirely.

After releasing her single “I’d Be Lyin’” in July, she returned to one of the shows that has played another major role in her television career.

Clarkson is back in a red chair for Season 30 of The Voice, joining Adam Levine and first-time coaches Queen Latifah and Riley Green.

So while one chapter of Clarkson’s career has ended, viewers haven’t heard the last of her.

And after hundreds of seemingly effortless Kellyoke performances, fans now know that the song chosen for her final one forced even Kelly Clarkson to go home and practice until she got it right.