A hush fell over the studio — Kelly Clarkson’s haunting rendition of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” turned a simple piano and cello intro into a spine-tingling moment that left viewers breathless

kelly
Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson sings “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” (YouTube/TheKellyClarksonShow)

Kelly Clarkson’s rendition of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” will take your breath away.

When the holiday season comes around, Clarkson goes all out for Christmas, especially on her daytime talk show.

That’s why, whenever she gets the chance, she loves to treat fans to performances of her favorite Christmas carols during her Kellyoke segment.

In the past, viewers have seen the superstar give unforgettable covers of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” and “Run Run Rudolph.” Just last week, Clarkson even gave a dreamy performance of “White Christmas.”

Kelly Clarkson performs during the 2023 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Now, she’s taking things a bit slower with a timeless hymn. On the show’s December 17 episode, Clarkson sang a truly stunning performance of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”

Unlike what fans are used to seeing, Clarkson wasn’t joined by her band for the performance. Instead, the moment was much more stripped down and intimate.

She wasn’t alone, though. The performance opened with nearly a minute of piano played by her music director, Jason Halbert. Joining him was a special guest, world-renowned musician Ismael Ariel Guerrero Bombut on the cello.

Soon, Clarkson joined in, and the very first few words she sang were enough to give you chills.

This isn’t the first time Clarkson has sung the classic hymn. “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” actually appears on her very first Christmas album, Wrapped in Red.

Wrapped in Red
Amazon Music

The song is one of 16 tracks from Clarkson’s 2013 album that have become holiday favorites for so many people. She even released another Christmas album in 2021, When Christmas Comes Around…, because fans just couldn’t get enough!

Fans React To Clarkson’s Latest Christmas Cover

Clarkson ended up sharing her performance of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel online, and people were blown away when they heard it.

Some even called it the best version of the Christian hymn they had ever heard. A few comments left by fans include:

“Soul stirring and rousing. Wow! Kelly, please do more gospel music. Absolutely gorgeous.”

“I sometimes wonder what it feels like to sing so immaculately. You give me chills. So beautiful.”

“My favorite rendition now of O Come, O Come Emmanuel”

“OMG The opening by the cello and piano plus Kelly’s vocals, goosebumps, just perfect”

“This is the most haunting version of this song Ive ever heard. So stunning! Kelly is #1 on any and every list of current singers you could name covering the last 15 years.”

“I love this song so much, and love Kelly’s version. It’s such a hauntingly beautiful song.”

You can watch Kelly Clarkson perform “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” in the video below.

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