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May 19 2009 12:49 PM EDT

Kelly Clarkson Talks 'American Idol' Finalist Adam Lambert

'I just like the fact that he did the whole Elvis thing,' she says of 'American Idol' finalist's retro style.

By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Tim Kash


Kelly Clarkson might have won "American Idol" way back in 2002, but that doesn't mean she's forgotten where she came from. Clarkson, who released her latest album, All I Ever Wanted, earlier this year, said she looks forward to making her way back to the "Idol" stage each year to show her support for the newest hopefuls.

"I go back basically every year. It's fun!" she told MTV News; this year, she performed "My Life Would Suck Without You," sharing the results-show stage with Kanye West. "I usually see the same crew. I see those people all the time."

While there, Clarkson said she made the rounds with the finalists. "I met all of them. I think it was the top 12 whenever I went on." But the singer admits that since the appearance, she hasn't been the most loyal "Idol" viewer. "I gotta confess: Every time they have the show on, I'm either touring or in Europe," she said. "So it's like I never get to catch it. I only saw, like, one or two episodes. I honestly do not even know who is left."

Despite not realizing it was a tough battle between Adam Lambert and Kris Allen, she did manage to remember one Lambert performance that left a mark on her: "I know the Adam guy is the one who did the slicked-back Elvis thing one time," she said, possibly remembering his retro look on Motown night. "That's the one show I saw that I wasn't on. I can't remember the other guy, so I can't even remember which one I like better."

So even if she doesn't have a clear favorite, she does admit she appreciates Lambert's flamboyant onstage persona. "I just like the fact that he did the whole Elvis thing and he sang the whole time in falsetto," she said. "I thought that was crazy."