Kelly Clarkson tears up after gay couple duet on ‘The Voice’

Kelly Clarkson tried to fight back tears after listening to the performance of OneUp, a gay mixed-race couple, auditioning for The Voice.

The pair chose The Spinners’ “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love” for the performance—a song that felt personal to them as, they explained, they fell in love once they started singing together.

“We met and we fell in love, actually,” Adam told the four coaches—Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton—describing how he and his partner Jerome got together.

Adam (L) and Jerome (R) performed as One Up (The Voice/NBC)

The revelation prompted emotional reactions, particularly from Clarkson and Hudson.

“It’s going to sound super cheesy and I’ll try not to cry because I’m that girl, but…” Clarkson said, beginning to tear up already.

“In a time in this country where it’s so divisive, this is such a beautiful thing,” the “Stronger” singer continued, wiping away a tear.

Clarkson, a Texas native who performed at President Barack Obama’s second presidential inauguration in 2013, is not afraid to use her platform to voice political opinions—from opposing Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election to speaking up in favour of gun control at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards.

Kelly Clarkson performs “My Country Tis of Thee” during the presidential inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol January 21, 2013 in Washington, DC (Justin Sullivan/Getty)

“It would be a disgrace if I didn’t have an opinion. It would be a cruel irony to all these people who live in different countries who don’t have an opinion, and don’t count, for me not to take full advantage of all the opportunities that are laid before us here in this nation,” she told The New York Times in an interview last year.

Her appearance of The Voice was no different.


“It is proof that in this country, love is limitless,” she told the audience, who cheered loudly, commenting on OneUp’s performance.

Kelly Clarkson speaks onstage during the 2018 Billboard Music Awards on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada (Kevin Winter/Getty)

“It’s the most beautiful thing that’s happened to me this season,” she concluded. “I love it—I mean, your voice is undeniable.”

“I want to be in the family!” Hudson then remarked, ultimately accepting Adam’s invitation to the stage, where the couple was joined by their relatives.

Clarkson, Hudson and Shelton all pitched themselves to be the couple’s coaches—their decision will be only be aired on Monday.