Fans got a glimpse of Kelly Clarkson at her most soulful during the Wednesday (Jan. 18) Kellyoke. Singing Joji‘s 2022 breakthrough hit “Glimpse of Us” on The Kelly Clarkson Show, the three-time Grammy winner stayed true to the original by performing the track with just piano backing her up.
There was, however, a small twist. Clarkson had not one, but two accompanists onstage with her, with musicians Jason Halbert and Kyle Whalum playing dual pianos, one on either side of the “Stronger” singer. Unlike Joji’s original recording, which features layers of gorgeous vocal harmonies, Clarkson’s voice stood on its own.
The bareness of the talk-show host’s tone gave it a particularly soulful edge, which Clarkson enhanced by bending certain notes and riffing through others. “Sometimes I look in his eyes, and that’s where I found a glimpse of us,” she sang, taking the final chorus up an octave and personalizing the pronouns by changing “her” to “his.”
Though Joji has been successful on the periphery of mainstream pop for years, “Glimpse of Us,” released in June, is undoubtedly the 30-year-old singer-songwriter’s biggest hit to date. The track peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Joji’s top 10 debut and by far his highest charting song so far.
Just a couple months ago, Joji release his third studio album, Smithereens — off which “Glimpse of Us” was the lead single — in November. The set debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200, and logged its 10th week on the chart this week.
Watch Kelly Clarkson perform Joji’s “Glimpse of Us” on The Kelly Clarkson Show above.
