It’s never surprising to hear one of Kelly Clarkson‘s many hits sung at any given karaoke party — but it is rather rare that Kelly Clarkson herself joins you onstage to sing them.
Dozens of unsuspecting fans’ wildest dreams came true Thursday night (June 22) at Sid Gold’s Request Room in New York City, where the 41-year-old pop star made a surprise karaoke night appearance just ahead of the midnight release of her new album, Chemistry. In one video captured from the event, Clarkson enters the bar as two partygoers belt out the Grammy winner’s early career hit “Behind These Hazel Eyes” and starts singing along from the crowd, causing heads around her to turn in shock.
In another video posted on Instagram by Clarkson, she cheerfully assists a pair of fans in performing her 2004 smash “Since U Been Gone” with a drink in one hand and a microphone in the other. “Karaoke night!!” she simply wrote in her caption.
The talk-show host ended up singing with fans for more than an hour, a rep for Clarkson told Billboard. The fans at the party were invited to celebrate Chemistry‘s release, and though Clarkson wasn’t originally scheduled to attend, she found time in her album promotion schedule to stop in and surprise the group.
Preceded by singles “Me,” “Mine,” “Favorite Kind of High” and more, Chemistry arrived Friday (June 23). “the wait is finally over!” Clarkson wrote on Instagram after the record’s midnight release. “i hope y’all enjoy it! 🍷💔☀️”
The project marks Clarkson’s first album since her high-profile divorce from ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, which the singer has been open about inspiring of the songs on Chemistry. “This album is definitely the arc of an entire relationship,” the musician said in March, when she first announced the project. “That whole relationship shouldn’t be brought down to one thing. There’s the good, the bad and the ugly kind of thing going on.”
See videos from Kelly Clarkson’s surprise karaoke event below:
