Kelly Clarkson not buying into celebrity

[Brian Damage]

Kelly Clarkson might have risen to fame in the public eye, but American Idol's most successful graduate doesn't buy into the celebrity lifestyle.

The 25-year-old, who still calls Texas home, prefers reading books to red carpet schmoozing, shuns television and gossip magazines, and is happiest when she's singing or writing songs.

Clarkson said she just lives "in her own bubble" and pleases herself.

"I don't watch much TV, I'm actually quite a reader," Clarkson said.

"I don't really read magazines and when I say don't really, I don't."

"I don't want to read anything good or bad, because when you see the good you have to see the bad."

"I don't want a big head and I also don't want to be depressed."

"So I kind of live in my own bubble and take care of myself."

Despite that, Clarkson couldn't escape the negative attention she received from the press last year.

After a dream run winning the first season of American Idol in 2002, and releasing two very successful studio albums, Clarkson's third album, My December, performed disappointingly when it was released last June.

The album was darker and moodier, and was reportedly considered commercially unsound by Clarkson's US record label, RCA.

Clarkson cancelled an arena tour of America and downsized to smaller venues because of poor ticket sales, and changed her management.

But she said the response of her fans at her live shows has been heartening.

"It's no big secret obviously this record wasn't as popular as the last record," she said.

"I thought when we went out (on tour) that nobody was going to know these songs but we went out and everybody's singing every word to every song."

"So I was like, `a lot of you are either illegally downloading this or something', because they've been singing everything, even the hidden tracks."

"Even if something isn't the most successful thing, it's personal and great for me because you get to see the fans reciprocate your feelings for it."

Clarkson is in Australia for a national tour following a brief promotional trip last September.

Stopping in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle and Brisbane, the tour features Jamaican sensation Sean Kingston and American songstress Mandy Moore as special guests.

While it takes her away from her beloved 60-acre Texas ranch, she said she loves coming to Australia - where, per capita she is more popular than anywhere else in the world.

"It's summer time here, I love it," she said.

"Oh my god, I've even come here on my off time for vacation."

"One of my favourite places on the planet is Hayman Island."

In between playing gigs and soaking up the Aussie sun, Clarkson is busy writing her next album, which she plans to release later this year.

"We're already working on it right now, so we'll probably have it out at the end of this year," she said.

"I figure, why wait, right?"

"If it were up to me I'd come out with a record every six months."

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/1614358