- - Simon Cowell looks back on Kelly Clarkson's “American Idol” win: 'It was like a movie'

Shania RussellJanuary 2, 2026 at 1:00 AM

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Trae Patton/NBC via Getty; Ray Mickshaw/20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection

Simon Cowell and Kelly Clarkson

It's been 23 years since American Idol first began its talent search and struck gold by introducing the world to a young Kelly Clarkson.

Though plenty of time has passed — and 22 other winners have come and gone — OG judge Simon Cowell has not forgotten the magical moment when Clarkson was crowned the inaugural American Idol.

"Oh, it was like a dream," the British producer and TV staple recently told the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast. "I do remember actually saying to someone, hypothetically, 'I'm certain there’s someone out there and he or she’s probably working in a bar, has tried to get a deal, can’t get into the right people or the label, but is brilliant.' I just had that feeling."

Admittedly, Cowell had his doubts once the casting process began in earnest. "Some of the early people we saw in the first couple of cities — everyone was terrible," he said bluntly. "So I thought this show could be a disaster."

Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty

Simon Cowell and Kelly Clarkson on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show'

But talent soon emerged and within the initial pool of 30 semifinalists was the eventual winner. Little did they know that her success would only balloon from there, with Clarkson eventually becoming an undeniable chart-topping, Grammy-winning superstar.

"You couldn’t have asked for a more perfect winner," Cowell said of the singer. "And we’re still friends today. She’s [an] amazing person, incredible personality. And just this killer voice. It was like a movie."

In typical Cowell fashion, the Brit couldn't reflect on the subject without voicing a few critical words about another contestant. Clarkson's 2002 win saw her score more votes than fellow finalist Justin Guarini — but Cowell maintains that the Georgia-born runner-up never should've made it that far to begin with.

"I just wish it wasn’t the guy. There was this other girl, Tamyra [Gray], and she was phenomenal," Cowell shared. "And the two of them in the final [episode], that could have been amazing. But it didn’t quite work out."

Asked whether he thought Guarini posed any threat to Clarkson's victory, he added, "No way. I think he would be the first to admit it himself."

On that fateful fall night of Sept. 4, 2002, after a grueling 12 weeks of competition, Clarkson beat Guarini and became the singing competition's first-ever victor. And while winners of reality shows like Idol now have a tendency to fade into obscurity after the crowning moment, Clarkson beat the odds. She has since released several platinum-certified records, earned three Grammy Awards, returned to the show as a judge, and even segued herself into film and television, earning a total of seven Emmys for her long-running daytime talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Kevin Winter/FOX

Kelly Clarkson wins 'American Idol' on Sep. 4, 2002

As for her relationship with Cowell, the duo have indeed remained close. In 2022, Cowell honored the singer at a ceremony celebrating her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He recounted their hilarious first interaction and praised her illustrious career, stating that she has always been deserving of her success.

"She's one of those people who, from day one, was respectful to the people who voted for her, who bought her records, who bought her tickets — and she's never lost that," Cowell told the crowd. "The Kelly you see in front of the camera is that Kelly you see behind the camera."

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The speech also saw Cowell credit Clarkson and her win with launching the show into the stratosphere, and making its 23-year legacy possible. "I remember that moment when your name was called, and I was thinking to myself, 'Thanks to you, we may have another season,'" he shared. "I can honestly say to you, thanks to you. You validated what we did, because if we didn't find a star, there was no point in doing these shows."

on Entertainment Weekly

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