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01
Originally wanted to be a marine biologist but changed her mind after seeing the movie Jaws 1975.
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02
Christina Aguilera co-wrote her hit single Miss Independent.
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03
Was offered scholarships to three universities but decided to pursue a music career.
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04
Stayed up all night before her American Idol audition so she would not sleep through the alarm, which she frequently did in high school.
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05
Won the first season of American Idol on 4 September 2002.
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06
Has two children: daughter River Rose Blackstock b. June 12, 2014 and son Remington Alexander Remy Blackstock b. April 12, 2016 with ex-husband Brandon Blackstock.
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07
Performed Ave Maria for Pope Benedict XVI on April 19, 2008 at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, New York.
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08
Avril Lavigne co-wrote her single Breakaway for the soundtrack of The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement 2004.
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09
Her music video for Because of You debuted at #1 on TRL, joining Britney Spears, Eminem, and NSYNC as the only artists to achieve that.
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10
Had jobs as a teenager and determined that once she started making money as a musician, she never wanted to have to take a job for the money; she has financially set herself up for life with her business manager.
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11
Underwent LASIK eye surgery to correct her vision.
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12
Adopted a black poodle mix named Joplin in 2011, who she calls her soul-mate.
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13
Her first single A Moment Like This set records by jumping from number 52 to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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14
Has twice broken the Billboard Hot 100 record for a song’s biggest leap to #1: first with A Moment Like This 52-1 in 2002 and with My Life Would Suck Without You 97-1 in 2009.
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15
Has two stepchildren: Savannah Blackstock b. June 7, 2002 and Seth Blackstock b. November 26, 2006 with ex-husband Brandon Blackstock.
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16
Won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Since U Been Gone and Best Pop Vocal Album Breakaway at the Grammy Awards on February 8, 2006; she also performed Because of You at the ceremony and received a standing ovation.
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17
Announced she was filing for divorce from Brandon Blackstock on June 11, 2020.
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18
Engaged to Blake Shelton’s manager Brandon Blackstock, son of her manager Narvel Blackstock and stepson of Reba McEntire, on December 14, 2012.
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19
Sang the National Anthem at The Day of Service in Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2002.
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20
Worked as a cocktail waitress at a comedy club in Arlington, Texas and at Hyena’s Comedy Club in Downtown Fort Worth, Texas.
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21
Her first single sold nearly 250,000 copies in its first week.
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22
Said in a Reader’s Digest interview that as a toddler she would often walk around naked and that she hates wearing clothes, calling wardrobe fittings the death of me.
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23
Hours after hosting the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas for the second consecutive year on May 2, 2019, she underwent surgery to have her appendix removed at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
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24
As of July 2005, she was the top-selling American Idol contestant, having sold approximately five million albums in the United States with five Top 10 singles.
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25
Married boyfriend of 20 months Brandon Blackstock on October 20, 2013 at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee, following a 10-month-long engagement.
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26
Has two siblings: Jason Clarkson born 1973 and Alyssa Clarkson born 1976.
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27
Ranked #50 in FHM magazine’s 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006 supplement.
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28
Returned to work three months after giving birth to daughter River to begin recording her fifth studio album, and two months after giving birth to son Remington to begin recording her sixth studio album.
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29
Came in second place in World Idol 2003.
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30
One of her maternal great-grandfathers was a Greek immigrant; her other ancestry includes English, German, Irish, and Scottish.
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31
Fired her manager Jeff Kwatinetz in summer 2007.
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32
Previously worked at Hollywood Theatres in Burleson, Texas, as well as at a bookstore and a zoo.
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33
Attended and graduated from Burleson High School, Burleson, Texas in 2000.
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34
Became the first artist to have two songs in the top 3 of Billboard’s Pop Airplay 100 chart, with Since U Been Gone and Behind These Hazel Eyes.
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35
Her debut album Thankful 2003 has sold more than 2.5 million copies in the United States; her sophomore album Breakaway 2004 has sold more than 6.2 million copies in the US and nearly 25 million worldwide.
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36
Sophomore album Breakaway 2004 debuted at number three.
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37
Is the only American Idol winner to hold the title less than a year because season one aired in June and the show began again the next spring.
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38
Her music video for Stronger What Doesn’t Kill You placed #4 on VH1’s Top 20 Videos of 2012.
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39
Beat out more than 10,000 people to land a $1 million recording contract on American Idol.
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40
Ranked #92 in FHM magazine’s 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005.
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41
Parents Jeanne and Joseph Clarkson divorced when she was six.
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42
Accepted two Grammy Awards at the 2006 ceremony: Pop Female Vocal for Since U Been Gone and Best Pop Album for Breakaway.
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43
Is the first artist in the Billboard Radio Monitor era to hold the No. 1 spot at Mainstream Top 40 and AC during the same week with two different songs Breakaway and Since U Been Gone.
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44
Her music video for My Life Would Suck Without You placed #6 on VH1’s Top 40 Videos of 2009.
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45
Her debut album Thankful 2003 went double platinum.
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46
Is the estranged daughter-in-law of Narvel Blackstock and estranged stepdaughter-in-law of Reba McEntire.
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47
Was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard on September 19, 2022; Simon Cowell was a guest speaker.
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48
Her music video for I Do Not Hook Up placed #25 on VH1’s Top 40 Videos of 2009.
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49
Is allergic to peanuts.
