
After seven years on NBC, The Kelly Clarkson Show has officially come to an end. But before saying goodbye, Kelly Clarkson gave viewers a finale filled with personal musical moments, including a moving performance of one of her most underrated songs that carried a powerful message for women struggling with addiction.
Her rendition of “Sober” has struck a chord with fans online, attracting more than 282,000 views in just over a week. The performance has prompted an outpouring of emotional reactions from longtime listeners, many of whom have been waiting years to hear her sing the song live on her own show.
A Finale Filled With Songs From Kelly’s Career
Clarkson described the occasion as a “bittersweet moment” as she invited her studio audience to submit requests for the final-ever edition of Kellyoke, the show’s popular musical segment.
Throughout the show’s run, Kellyoke featured countless covers, but Clarkson rarely used the opportunity to perform songs from her own catalogue. For the farewell episode, however, she changed things up, revisiting several of the biggest and most meaningful tracks from her career.
The setlist included “Piece By Piece,” “Since U Been Gone,” “Stronger” and “Sober,” alongside her brand-new single, “I’d Be Lyin’.”
She also performed covers of “Didn’t I” and “Golden.” The latter has proved particularly popular, accumulating an impressive 4.4 million views.
The episode also featured a farewell message from Clarkson alongside her children, River and Remington, giving fans another personal moment as the show reached its conclusion.

The Charity Story Behind Her “Sober” Performance
One of the most meaningful moments came just before Clarkson took to the stage for one of her final Kellyoke performances.
She revisited Unshattered, a charity previously featured during the show’s fifth season. The organisation, which is run by another woman named Kelly, helps women overcome addiction and navigate the recovery process.
Clarkson revealed that the show’s fundraiser for Unshattered had been the most successful fundraising effort in the programme’s entire seven-year run, raising $100,000 to support women working to rebuild their lives.
With that cause in mind, she dedicated her live performance of “Sober” to women experiencing addiction.
Originally featured on her 2007 album My December, the song has long been a favourite among some of her most devoted fans. Hearing Clarkson return to it on such a significant occasion gave the performance added meaning, particularly given the charity’s work supporting women through recovery.
As the video continues to circulate on YouTube, viewers have been sharing their appreciation for both the song and Clarkson’s decision to bring it back into the spotlight.
Fans Say the Underrated Song Deserves More Recognition
The response from fans has been especially emotional, with many celebrating the performance as a long-overdue moment for a song they believe has never received the recognition it deserves.
One viewer wrote, “Finally, she performed Sober in her show.”
Another agreed, commenting, “Justice for Sober! What an underrated song!”
For some listeners, the performance also brought back memories of My December, the album on which “Sober” originally appeared. One longtime fan explained just how much the record had meant to them over the years.
“Man, I’m still upset that so many people slept on My December [the album Sober was featured on]. To this day, it’s still my favorite album from her. That disc got me through a lot of hard years.”
Other viewers focused on the qualities that make Clarkson’s voice so distinctive, praising the soulful delivery and individual character she brought to the live rendition.
One fan even suggested that Clarkson should revisit her entire discography in the same way, writing, “I need Kelly to rerecord all of her albums as live versions so we can appreciate her vocals.”

Another comment, which reflected a sentiment shared by more than 200 viewers, highlighted the emotional impact of the performance compared with the show’s more widely viewed musical moments.
“Y’all can have ‘Golden,’ gimme this one. Her voice here just breaks me. So perfect.”
For fans who have followed Clarkson throughout her career, the final episode offered a chance to revisit familiar hits while giving a lesser-known favourite a moment in the spotlight.
And by dedicating “Sober” to women battling addiction, Clarkson brought her seven-year television journey to a close with a performance that connected music, personal memories and a cause that has helped women work towards recovery.