Kelly Clarkson Plots World Domination

This article first appeared in Entertainment Weekly.

According to well-studied laws of atmospheric science—and pop culture— the more Kelly Clarkson in the ether, the better it is for the universe. Benefits include: aural pleasure, laughter, and an abundance of Voice champions. (After all, she’s coached two in a row to victory— most recently Chevel Shepherd.)

Clarkson, 36, is embarking on her first tour in almost four years; launching a syndicated talk show this fall; recording music for UglyDolls, in theaters May 3; and continuing her stint as a coach on The Voice. All the while, she’s raising four children with husband Brandon Blackstock—two kids under 5 and a teen and tween from Blackstock’s previous marriage.

The Texas native will haul the whole family—including her dogs—on her Meaning of Life tour, a 28-date stint that kicks off Jan. 24 in Oakland with opening acts Kelsea Ballerini and Brynn Cartelli (one of Clarkson’s protégés who won The Voice). Clarkson teases that it’s “the longest show I’ve ever had,” because “winnowing down 16 years of songs is tough!”

The set list will include all of your “Miss Independent Breakaway Since U Been Gone Stronger” favorites— “I hate when people go to shows and [the performers] don’t play their hits,” she quips—as well as a medley of tunes that people often request but she’s unable to get to. In addition, if you’re a fan of the “Kelly Clarkson covers Broadway hits” genre, you’re in luck, as she plans to devote a part of the night to her inner show-tune geek.

Clarkson’s live shows have probably become best known for her covers of other artists’ songs—many of which explode into viral sensations. Last time around, Clarkson memorably took on Nick Jonas’ “Jealous,” Demi Lovato’s “Cool for the Summer,” and “Purple Rain,” no artist name needed. (This is the point where you should put down this magazine, pick up your phone, Google “Kelly Clarkson, Purple Rain,” and have a listen. We’ll wait.)

For the Meaning of Life tour, Clarkson has culled fan requests from social media and will perform covers during a segment she’s calling “A Minute and a Glass of Wine.” Expect to hear her take on Ariana Grande’s “God Is a Woman” and Eva Cassidy’s arrangement of the Fleetwood Mac standard “Songbird.” And, she teases, “I have this really cool Cardi B idea that I hope pans out.”

The tour wraps up at the end of March, which will likely dovetail with the start of live episodes of season 16 of The Voice. She then dives into rehearsals for The Kelly Clarkson Show, which will air as a companion to The Ellen DeGeneres Show in many markets. Clarkson grew up watching Oprah but says she never thought of fronting a talk show until one of NBC’s top executives said, “We just need a show with you. You don’t have a filter.” That led to the taping of a pilot, and the voluble star says she felt immediately comfortable with the format. “I didn’t think it was going to go that way, but I did my homework and I really enjoy talking and it was really, really fun.” She will open each show with a song, and promises a blend of celebrities, real people, skits, and games.

The singer-songwriter apparently enjoys a hectic life, because she insists she’ll continue as a judge on The Voice even as her daytime series launches in the fall. “My studio for my [talk] show is a golf-cart ride away on the same lot [as The Voice], so I have a lot of help in that aspect, scheduling and stuff—and they know I work pretty quickly,” says Clarkson, who also speaks pretty quickly. “The Voice is a well-oiled machine 15 seasons in. I think it’s going to be doable.” If nothing else, she’s doing her part for planet Earth.