A well-seasoned performer knows that giving their audience what they want is the true name of the game, and Kelly Clarkson proved that she is a consummate pro at an October 3, 2026, appearance at Providence College’s annual Late Night Madness event. Part of the college’s homecoming tradition, the Saturday evening concert featured Clarkson singing career-defining hits like “Behind These Hazel Eyes”, “My Life Would Suck Without You”, and “Miss Independent”.
But halfway through the 15-song set, the American Idol alum got a surprising request from the audience. Squinting down to see what the fan had typed out on their phone, Clarkson said, “Girl, I’m old, what’s that say? That’s a Christmas song, girl!” Even with no mention of the song, the pit went wild as soon as Clarkson mentioned the holiday. The singer laughed, turning back to her band before asking the screaming crowd, “Y’all ready for Christmas?”
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The song the fan had requested was “Underneath The Tree”, which the band undoubtedly was not prepared for, considering the early October performance date. Nevertheless, they delivered.
Kelly Clarkson Pulled Off This Autumnal Christmas Song Beautifully
Kelly Clarkson first released “Underneath The Tree” on her sixth studio album, Wrapped In Red. The 2013 release was the singer’s first holiday release and featured other seasonal classics like “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”, “Blue Christmas”, “White Christmas”, and “Run Run Rudolph”. The album also featured a few star-studded appearances, including a duet with Brooks & Dunn’s Ronnie Dunn on “Baby It’s Cold Outside” and a trio performance of “Silent Night” alongside Reba McEntire and Trisha Yearwood. “Underneath The Tree” was the major record hit, though.
And even all these years later—and two months before the Christmas season—Clarkson and her band pulled off the unusual fan request. As she began singing the first verse, the pit of dancing fans immediately began singing along. “C’mon, ladies,” Clarkson riffed in between lyrics.
Besides the impressive feat of professionalism and memory recall that Clarkson and her band displayed during this impromptu performance, we’d say that most importantly, Clarkson almost certainly landed herself on the “Nice” list for that one. At least, in the heart of Providence College fans, she did.
Photo by Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
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