Kelly Clarkson Performs On 'Idol' One Last Time

I never thought I'd see this day, but the American Idol series finale is officially here. After nearly 15 years, the legendary singing competition is dimming the lights for the last time. It's bittersweet, for sure, but the producers are giving us exactly what we want in the finale show and that's MAJOR nostalgia. While it's great to see so many former Idol competitors take the stage, the finale wouldn't be complete without the woman who began it all — Kelly Clarkson. The OG Idol winner already stole the finale show with a medley of all her hit songs — and she wasn't there!

Okay, so Clarkson has a very good reason for not attending the final show and that's that she's awaiting the birth of her second child, who could come any day now. But the Idol queen recorded a performance when she visited the show a few weeks back and it might even be better than her "Piece by Piece" performance from that night. Clarkson reminded us of how amazing she is by singing a medley of her greatest hits, including "Miss Independent," "Breakaway," and "Heartbreak Song." But it was the final song of her performance that really brought back the memories. The Season 1 winner ended her medley with her breakout hit, "Moment Like This," and it was even sweeter than the first time she sang it.

Whether you're a die-hard Idol fan or didn't even realize it was still on, you've heard Clarkson's first performance of "Moment Like This." That just goes to show how iconic this competition has become. Not to get to cheesy on you but without Idol, Clarkson would never be standing where she is now. Hearing all her songs together really shows how successful she's been — and that's all because of Idol. While the show is over, it's former contestants like Clarkson that will keep it's name alive for years to come.

Image: FOX