Just about all of us can likely reflect on moments in our lives in which we felt embarrassed for one reason or another. In some cases, those situations can be spurred by wardrobe malfunctions, which can happen to anyone. When you’re a celebrity, though, those can happen on a massive stage. Kelly Clarkson is such a star who’s experienced that, as she just recalled having a massive malfunction while touring years ago. It’s a wild story – and one that I didn’t expect to be even more cringeworthy than Katy Perry’s on-screen debacle.
What Happened To Kelly Clarkson When She Went On Tour?
Amid the 2025 TV schedule, Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show to discuss their Broadway show, The Last Five Years. It was during the interview that Jonas spoke about ripping his pants during a rehearsal for the production. That’s what led Clarkson to discuss her own attire-related snafu and, as she explained (in the video shared to YouTube), the whole ordeal involved a skirt:
I had something happen on tour – my skirt, the clip broke, and it dropped and I dropped. … Here’s why. Long story short, I was commando. It was a long skirt, and something happened to where it was like, ‘Oh, OK.’ It’s TMI for America, so I’m not gonna tell you all the [details]. And I was like, ‘The one night that I don’t have…?!’ And I dropped to the floor like, so fast, picked it up. Somebody had to run out… It’s during a show. … It was really unfortunate.
The amount of second-hand embarrassment I’m getting by just hearing this story is staggering. I can’t even imagine actually being in such a position – in part because I don’t actually wear skirts but also because I’m not a world-renowned singer. That’s actually not the only time that Kelly Clarkson has ever faced such a situation either. In 2023, Clarkson had a wardrobe mishap amid a concert, as the top of her ensemble was a bit revealing. With that, she stopped the band in order to fix her attire before she continued singing.
Considering that, I’d say the Grammy winner handled that boob-related situation like a pro, and it also sounds like she did the best she could with the skirt, given the circumstances. For me, it’s also crazy to think that the scenario managed to top Katy Perry’s.
How Did Katy Perry’s Wardrobe Issue Play Out On American Idol?
While Katy Perry has since exited Idol, she had a number of notable moments on the show that are still hard to forget. One of them occurred during Season 20, when Perry broke out into an impromptu performance of her hit song “Teenage Dream.” While bending down, she split the back of her red, leather pants. Fellow judge Luke Bryan and others quickly provided assistance by supplying some yellow tape. Check out the televised moment down below:
ima get ur heart racing in my skin-tight jeans on #americanidol tonight 👀 tune in now for a RIPPING good time 🤪 pic.twitter.com/gw3bav78RsMarch 29, 2022
That may indeed be one of the cringiest situations to ever play out on American Idol (which is streamable with a Disney+ subscription). It’s also a bit ironic that such a faux pas would occur while the songstress is performing a song that contains lyrics about “skin-tight jeans.” Nevertheless, she seemed to handle the situation in stride, and she and Luke Bryan had a fun exchange about it on social media after the fact.
Wardrobe malfunctions definitely vary and, as a result, stars handle them in a myriad of ways. There are actually plenty of singers that handle them with extreme care and grace. In 2022, Jennifer Lopez went viral when a hole formed in her bodysuit mid-performance, and she kept singing. Also, in 2024, Taylor Swift had an issue with her in-ears that caused her to have to take off part of her dress during a concert, and a crew member ultimately assisted her. Leave it to Swift to create a sweet interactive moment like that during a show.
These clothes-related situations may not be fun, but kudos to Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry and more for handling them like professionals. Also, if anything, such incidents provide Clarkson and her peers with funny anecdotes they can share later on.