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TORONTO -- Kelly Clarkson, the twentysomething Texan who won the first season of American Idol, might as well be an honourary Canadian.
At her Canadian concert debut on Saturday night at Massey Hall, two of the best songs, Breakaway and Where Is Your Heart, were written by two of our country's biggest musical exports, Avril Lavigne and Chantal Kreviazuk, respectively.
The newly blond Clarkson liked to call each of them, "one of your girls!"
The likable pop-rock-soul-blues singer, whose incredibly big voice combines the bluesy grittiness of Bonnie Raitt with the soulful precision of Mariah Carey, was clearly excited at having finally crossed the border.
"Well, I like Canada so far. Y'all are cool!" said Clarkson, who was greeted by enthusiastic screams for every one of her 19 songs, including covers of the Janis Joplin-style Piece Of My Heart, B.B. King's The Thrill Is Gone and Eurythmics' Sweet Dreams.
At first, she stood with her back to the sold-out crowd, a wildly diverse group of tweens and teenaged girls, their guardians, young couples, twentysomething and thirtysomething men, and older women. She began with three energetic pop-rockers that showed off her powerful pipes, Since UBeen Gone, Walk Away, and Gone, all from her 2004 sophomore effort, Breakaway.
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She was less successful when she returned to material from her 2003 debut, Thankful, such as the ballad Just Missed The Train, which was followed by a bluesy trio, What's Up Lonely, the title track, and the Trouble With Love Is. In the latter, her four-piece band joined her at the front of the stage and later two violinists were added.
The newer songs -- such power ballads as Addicted, Because Of You and another notable pop-rocker Behind These Hazel Eyes (the next single) -- are simply better suited to her singing style. The exception was the rocking Miss Independent, the biggest single from her first album, which was the undisputed standout of her 70-minute set on Saturday night.
A petite thing, Clarkson showed off her cute frame in a halter top that exposed a tummy punctuated by a diamond in her belly button. Later she changed from hip-hugging black pants to an equally low-riding, multi-colored, ruffled long skirt.
The stage was decked-out like a Bedouin tent with plenty of flowing fabrics and hanging lamps.
Clarkson reworked some of the more popular tunes from her first album like Beautiful Disaster, which featured her backed solely by a violinist and electric guitarist, and the schmaltzy ballad A Moment Like This, which became a full-on rocker during the encore.
"That song is so much fun for us now!" Clarkson said of the latter.