Kelly Clarkson helps music fans keep the faith

Raise your glasses, folks. … Here’s to Kelly Clarkson.

Thank you, Kelly, for winning “American Idol.”

And after winning that talent competition, thanks for actually producing some music that we care about. (Readers, I dare you to name another “Idol” winner, aside from Carrie Underwood, who can even begin to live up to the previous statement. You can’t, can you?)

Even the most macho guy in the room has to fess up to it at some point: You’ve rocked out to “Since U Been Gone” at one point or another. At minimum, I bet you bobbed your head to it, even though you swear to your friends that you “hate that song.”

I’ll forgive the laughable “From Justin to Kelly” film that you took part in post-“Idol,” mostly because you were contractually obligated to do so.

Kelly, you’re one of a few popular female artists who don’t appear to suffer from anorexia.

You offered up your MTV moon man trophy to Kanye West because he’s such a baby (“It’s absolutely fascinating how much I don’t like you,” she said on her blog).

You even decided to be a role model, singing a song that seems so against culture, “I Do Not Hook Up.”

Here’s to Kelly, for still allowing us to have faith in pop music, despite all of the Britneys, J-Los and Jessicas they keep throwing at us.

Contact the writer:

444-1557, kevin.coffey@owh.com