‘American Idol’ Winner Taylor Hicks Gushes Over Kelly Clarkson, Makes Flirty Remark

Season 5 winner of American Idol, Taylor Hicks, appears to be expressing romantic interest in the show’s inaugural winner, Kelly Clarkson.

In a Page Six article published Friday, March 13, the singer, 49, was asked about a recent comment the “Since U Been Gone” hitmaker, 43, made on The Kelly Clarkson Show about never receiving a car when she won the hit singing competition in 2002.

“I am a big fan of Kelly Clarkson and consider her one of the most incredible voices to emerge from ‘American Idol,” Hicks gushed to Page Six.

As for the car, Hicks told the outlet in a reported flirtatious way: “I would be more than happy to help her find a new Mustang.”

Since winning American Idol in 2006, Hicks has seemingly been in contact with the “Because of You” singer, as he appeared on her eponymous talk show in 2023, according to Page Six.

As Star previously reported, Clarkson was married to talent manager Brandon Blackstock — with whom she shares daughter River, 11, and son Remy, 9 — from 2013 to 2022. Blackstock passed away in August at 48 years old after battling cancer.

Before Blackstock’s passing, the three-time Grammy Award winner discussed her dating life, or lack thereof, onstage during her residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in July.

“Dating can be very difficult, which is why I don’t,” Clarkson admitted, per a TikTok video. “I’m like it’s hard anyway; add a spotlight and it’s like a… dumpster fire.”

In December, a source shared some of Clarkson’s ideal qualities in her next partner with Star.

“Ideally, Kelly wants a guy who has kids already, so she can see his dad skills in action,” the source claimed. “She doesn’t care about his job one bit. She’s very down-to-earth that way and has no qualms about spending her money if they aren’t pulling in the kind of income she has.”