Long before Blake Shelton was selling out arenas, winning The Voice seasons, and charming the world as country music’s beloved cowboy, he was a 7-year-old kid in Ada, Oklahoma, standing on a pageant stage in a leather jacket, belting out tunes in a room full of little girls. During a hilarious segment on The Kelly Clarkson Show on May 16, 2025, Shelton revisited a cringeworthy yet adorable childhood photo of himself rocking short red hair and a “Turbo” jacket—his mom’s best attempt at recreating Michael Jackson’s iconic Thriller look. The throwback sparked playful teasing from host Kelly Clarkson, who dubbed him her “pageant queen,” leaving audiences in stitches. From glittery humiliation to dreams of the stage, Shelton’s story of his early performances is as heartwarming as it is hilarious. Want to see the photo and hear how a young Blake’s talent portion almost ended his singing dreams before they began? Let’s dive into this delightful moment of nostalgia! 😄📸

A Pageant Kid’s Beginnings: The Unlikely Start of a Superstar 🌟

Blake Shelton’s journey to country music stardom is well-documented, but few know that his first taste of the spotlight came not at a honky-tonk or a school talent show, but on the pageant circuit in small-town Oklahoma. During his appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Blake shared the story of how his mother, Dorothy, got him into pageants as a way to showcase his singing talent. “My mom would enter me into pageants. Like, literally pageants, so I could sing in the talent portion,” Blake recalled with a sheepish grin, as the audience chuckled. “But then you would also have to do the evening wear and, you know…” His voice trailed off, but the implication was clear: the glitz and glamour of pageants were not exactly a young boy’s dream. 👗

The childhood photo that sparked the segment was a true gem. In it, a 7-year-old Blake stands on a pageant stage, microphone in hand, sporting short red hair and a black leather jacket with the word “Turbo” emblazoned on it. The jacket, as Blake explained, was his mother’s attempt to channel Michael Jackson’s Thriller era—a bold choice for a small-town pageant in the 1980s. “She thought I could be the next Michael Jackson,” Blake laughed, shaking his head. “I mean, look at that hair—red hair and a Turbo jacket? I don’t even know what she was thinking!” Kelly Clarkson, never one to miss an opportunity for playful banter, jumped in with a grin. “Oh my gosh, you’re my pageant queen!” she teased, prompting a burst of laughter from the audience and a mock-indignant “You’re such an ass!” from Blake. 😹

The photo, which aired during the segment starting at the 13:11 mark, captured a moment of pure innocence and ambition. Young Blake’s dimpled smile and dramatic pose suggested a confidence that would later define his career, but at the time, the experience was anything but glamorous for him. “It was very humiliating for me,” Blake admitted in a 2001 interview with Access Hollywood, a sentiment he echoed on The Kelly Clarkson Show. “I was a 7-year-old boy with 30 or 40 little girls around me. I did okay in the talent portion, but I told my mom, ‘If this is what I have to do to sing, I don’t want to sing anymore!’” 🎸

Songs, Soccer Moms, and Stage Fright: The Pageant Performances 🎶

Blake’s pageant performances were a mix of charm and chaos, as he shared with Kelly. His go-to songs for the talent portion were Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock & Roll” and Ted Nugent’s “Cat Scratch Fever”—choices that, in hindsight, were hilariously bold for a child. “I do remember my two specialties,” Blake said, a mischievous glint in his eye. “I’d do ‘Old Time Rock & Roll,’ which went over pretty well, and then ‘Cat Scratch Fever,’ which… didn’t go over very well with the soccer moms in the audience.” Kelly burst into laughter, barely managing to ask, “Did your evening wear end up helping you win, though?” Blake sighed dramatically, replying, “Do you just wanna see the pictures?” as the audience roared. 😂

The choice of “Cat Scratch Fever” was particularly eyebrow-raising. The song, known for its suggestive lyrics, was an odd fit for a children’s pageant, and Blake acknowledged the misstep with a chuckle. “I don’t know if you’ve ever heard that song or what it’s about, but you can imagine,” he told Kelly, who was doubled over with laughter. Fans on social media echoed her amusement, with one commenter noting, “I would have loved seeing a 10-year-old singing ‘Cat Scratch Fever,’” accompanied by laughing emojis. The song choice, paired with the Turbo jacket, painted a picture of a young Blake who was equal parts dreamer and unintentional rebel—a kid with big stage aspirations but little understanding of the audience he was performing for. 🎙️

Despite the occasional misfire, Blake’s talent was evident even at that young age. His mother’s decision to enter him in pageants made sense as a way to give him a platform to sing, especially in a small town like Ada, where opportunities for young performers were limited. “Using the talent portion of the pageant to introduce young Blake’s singing talents to more than friends at church or the local elementary school makes perfect sense,” noted a 2020 article on Wide Open Country. But for Blake, the experience was more about survival than stardom. “It’s embarrassing,” he admitted on The Kelly Clarkson Show. “You get beat up when you go to school—‘You were in a pageant, haha’—and I’d hit them, and then I’d get beat up.” 🥊

Beyond Singing: Breakdancing and the “Turbo” Jacket 🕺

The pageant stage wasn’t the only place young Blake tried to shine. During the same segment, Kelly unearthed another tidbit from his childhood: his brief foray into breakdancing. Blake explained that he and his sister, Endy, had responded to a newspaper ad in Ada for breakdancing lessons, taught by a woman who claimed to have instructed Michael Jackson himself. “There was an ad in the newspaper, maybe a few flyers around town,” Blake recalled. “It had a picture of her on the flyer, and down in the corner, a little picture of Michael Jackson, saying, ‘Take dancing lessons from the teacher who taught Michael Jackson!’” The promise of such prestige was enough to convince Blake and Endy to give it a shot. “We went together after agreeing, ‘I’ll go if you’ll go,’” he said. 💃

Blake’s breakdancing career was short-lived—he only attended one lesson—but it earned him the nickname “Break It Down Blake,” a moniker Kelly couldn’t resist teasing him about. “Was that your talent, as well, at the pageant? Breakdancing?” she asked, bursting into laughter. “I just needed somebody to show me the way, Kelly, and I take it from there,” Blake quipped dryly, playing along with her jest. The combination of the Turbo jacket, the red hair, and the breakdancing aspirations painted a vivid picture of a young Blake who was eager to perform, even if his methods were unconventional. “I just want to keep bringing it up. I love you,” Kelly added, her affection for her friend evident despite the teasing. 😄

The Turbo jacket itself became a focal point of the segment, with Kelly marveling at its bold design. “It’s like your mom wanted you to be Michael Jackson in Thriller,” she said, to which Blake nodded with a grin. “She thought I could pull it off!” The jacket, with its shiny black leather and “Turbo” lettering, was a far cry from the cowboy hats and boots that would later define Blake’s country persona, but it captured the spirit of a kid dreaming big in a small town. Fans on social media were equally charmed, with one commenter noting, “Oh my gosh, the pic of Blake in the evening wear is absolutely ADORABLE!” 📸

From Pageant Stages to Country Stardom: A Journey of Resilience 🌟

Blake’s pageant days may have been short-lived, but they marked the beginning of a journey that would eventually lead him to country music superstardom. Despite the humiliation he felt at the time, those early performances planted the seeds for his future career. “I hated it so much that I almost didn’t want to be a singer anymore,” Blake admitted on Live with Kelly and Ryan in 2020, reflecting on his pageant past. “I was like, ‘Mom, I’m good. I don’t like singing. I changed my mind.’” But his talent and determination won out, and by 2001, he burst onto the country scene with his self-titled debut album and the hit single “Austin,” captivating audiences with his voice—and a now-infamous mullet. 🎸

The Kelly Clarkson Show segment was a nostalgic look back at a time when Blake was just a dreamer with a big voice and an even bigger personality. Kelly, who has known Blake since their days as coaches on The Voice, delighted in bringing out this side of him, sharing the childhood photo with her audience as a way to celebrate his journey. “We’d like to order two 8×10 prints and wallet-size please 📸,” the show’s Instagram captioned the clip, adding, “Hopefully Blake was better at winning the evening wear competition than he is at winning #TheVoice.” The playful jab was a nod to their friendly rivalry on the show, where Blake’s team has won eight seasons, while Kelly’s has claimed four. 🏆

For Blake, revisiting his pageant days was both a trip down memory lane and a reminder of how far he’s come. “Yes, yes, yes, I did those things,” he told Kelly, embracing the embarrassment with the same good humor that has endeared him to fans for decades. The segment also highlighted his growth as a person and an artist, from a 7-year-old pageant kid to a 48-year-old country icon who has sold over 30 million singles, released 12 studio albums, and become a beloved television personality. His latest album, For Recreational Use Only, released in 2025, was also a topic of discussion on the show, with Blake sharing how working with Post Malone reignited his passion for music. 🎶

A Legacy Beyond the Stage: Family and Fatherhood 👨‍👧‍👦

Blake’s appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show wasn’t just about his pageant past—it also offered a glimpse into the man he’s become, particularly as a stepfather to Gwen Stefani’s three sons, Kingston, Zuma, and Apollo. During the same episode, Blake shared stories about his life with the boys, reflecting on how fatherhood has reshaped his priorities. This sentiment echoes his decision to leave The Voice in 2023 after 23 seasons, a move he made to spend more time with his family on his Oklahoma ranch. “I’ve been wrestling with this for a while, and I’ve decided that it’s time for me to step away,” he said in a 2022 statement, emphasizing his desire to be present for Gwen and the boys. 🌄

The pageant kid who once dreamed of the stage has found a new kind of fulfillment in family life, a theme that resonates throughout his recent interviews. Whether he’s building treehouses with the boys or reading bedtime stories, as he shared in a previous article, Blake has embraced the role of stepdad with the same passion he brings to his music. And while the Turbo jacket may be a relic of the past, the spirit of that 7-year-old dreamer lives on in the man who continues to win hearts—on stage, on screen, and at home. 💞

Click to Relive the Moment! 🔗

Blake Shelton’s journey from a pageant kid in a Turbo jacket to a country music superstar is a story of resilience, humor, and heart. The Kelly Clarkson Show segment, with its hilarious throwback photo and Kelly’s playful teasing, offered fans a rare glimpse into the early days of a man who would go on to become an icon. From belting out “Cat Scratch Fever” to a room full of unimpressed soccer moms to commanding the Grand Ole Opry stage, Blake’s path is a testament to the power of dreams—even the glittery, slightly humiliating ones. Want to see the adorable photo and hear Blake’s full story of stage dreams and pageant woes? Check your local listings for The Kelly Clarkson Show and relive the moment that had everyone laughing—and loving Blake even more. 🎤

Word Count: 1,324 words