The singer notes that there was one star who showed her kindness when she was coming up.
Kelly Clarkson says gaining fame from American Idol wasn't easy.
On Friday's episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, the 38-year-old singer says she was treated poorly at a star-studded awards show while on season 1 of the singing competition show, which she ultimately won. Clarkson says one star, her guest on the show, Jennifer Love Hewitt, was one of the few celebrities who showed her kindness.
"People were really mean to us because we're from a talent show and it was the first season. Like, everyone was so rude to us, like, on the carpet. ...It was so bad. It was a horrible experience," Clarkson tells Hewitt before praising the 41-year-old actress for speaking to her at the event.
"You came up to me, ran up to me out of nowhere and were like, 'Oh my gosh, I'm really rooting for you.' You told me, 'Please keep the ones you love so close. It'll end up being about a few people in your life, unfortunately, but this business can be really hard,'" the talk show host shares. "You just gave me this advice that was really kind in such an unkind time for me personally. ...It meant the world to me. You were so nice."
In September, Clarkson looked back on winning Idol over 18 years ago and had a message for fans chasing their dreams.
"Eighteen years ago today was the finale of the first season of American Idol and it changed my life!" she wrote. "I’m still hustlin 18 years later because I know I am blessed to have the opportunities and I still love my purpose!"
Clarkson concluded by encouraging her fans to "find your purpose! Seek out what keeps that fire in you burning 🔥❤️."
ET was with Clarkson in 2002 just moments after her emotional American Idol win.
"I am so disoriented right now!" she told ET at the time. "Everybody keeps asking me, 'How do you feel?' and I'm like, 'I don't even know?!' I have so many feelings. It's just so amazing."
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