While Kelly Clarkson might only have three Grammys on her mantel, the inaugural "American Idol" winner is a perennial favorite amongst the Recording Academy _ consistently scoring nods since her 2003 debut.
In 2013, Clarkson made Grammy history as the only act to be awarded pop vocal album more than once. At 2016's awards held in February, a potential third win in the category _ for 2015's "Piece By Piece" _ was thwarted by Taylor Swift's blockbuster "1989," but Clarkson's nomination Tuesday in pop solo performance gives her a shot at winning from an album that already lost.
And she could win with a hit she earned from the show that launched her to worldwide fame 14 years ago.
This year the singing competition welcomed back its former winner for two performances: a rendition of "Piece By Piece" and a hits medley.
The lyrics, which juxtaposed her father's abandonment with the promise she and her husband made to never leave their daughter, led to an emotional performance, with Clarkson struggling to finish and receiving a standing ovation that lasted longer than a minute.
Her showing went viral, and Clarkson recorded the softer, piano-driven version she performed on the show and dubbed it the "Idol Version" for a rush release.
The record became the singer's biggest hit in four years with combined sales of the original mid-tempo version and the "Idol" take propelling the single to No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
And now it's up for a Grammy, nearly two years after its original release.
