Kelly Clarkson isn’t just okay with Jelly Roll’s hit “I Am Not Okay” — she’s thrilled.
The 42-year-old chart-topping songbird teamed up with Jelly Roll, 39, for a duet during the “Kellyoke” segment on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Fans got a sneak peek of the magic on Today, sparking excitement for the full performance slated to air on Wednesday, October 16.
“This song is so good. I’m so excited he’s allowing me to sing on his song, ‘I Am Not Okay,’ and it’s so, so good,” Clarkson gushed in a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the pair singing with one another during sound check. “I’m just a huge fan. I love authenticity, and I love real messages. I think that real sh*t really matters.”
But it wasn’t just the “Because of You” singer who was fangirling — Jelly Roll himself was equally starstruck. Before Clarkson stepped onto the stage, the reigning CMA New Artist of the Year said, “I’m excited, and then as soon as she’ll walk in, I’ll be nervous. It’ll go from straight excitement to nerves.”
Jelly Roll went on to explain that the two first met at the Grammy Awards, where he couldn’t hide his awe. “I went and hawked her down, and I was like, Mrs. Clarkson, I am such a fan, and when she turned around and said, ‘Hey Jelly,’ I was like, she knows me!” he exclaimed.
This isn’t Clarkson’s first rodeo covering Jelly Roll’s music. Earlier this year, the songstress belted out the intense lyrics of his hit “Save Me.” After watching her rendition, Jelly Roll took to X (formerly Twitter) with his two cents on the cover: “I would’ve never believed you if you would’ve told me that I’d write a song so impactful that incredible Kelly Clarkson would deem it worthy to cover . Thank you Kelly- wow – I’m honored in a way I can’t even described – I cried watching it @kellyclarkson.”