Braving the winter chill, Kelly Clarkson returned to Green Bay for the first time in over a decade in support of her eighth studio effort, Meaning of Life. Pop-country crossover Kelsea Ballerini and the Clarkson-mentored victor from Season 14 of The Voice, Brynn Cartelli, provided support for the sold-out Resch Center show.

Clarkson set the bar high early, singing a truncated, acapella version of her breakout hit “A Moment Like This” as she took the stage. However, she continued to offer up awe-inspiring performances throughout the show, while adding in a few twists and turns along the way. 

While she didn’t reference the Meaning of Life directly, her actions over the course of the night definitely drew inspiration from the general theme. Clarkson honored Milwaukee bus driver Natalie Barnes, who assisted a homeless man during a cold spell last December, inviting her on stage during a break in the music she referred to as “A Minute and a Glass of Wine.” While it drove home a compassionate message it also revealed a personal side of Clarkson and reinforced a message she gave earlier in the set when she proclaimed, “Forget the divisiveness out there and just have a good time.”

The vocal powerhouse followed up that session with a surprise debut of her stripped-down solo cover of the Lady Gaga/Bradley Cooper Grammy-winning duet, “Shallow,” that brought the entire crowd back to its feet. Her requisite smash hits drew sing-alongs from the roughly 7000-strong fanbase, including the upbeat “My Life Would Suck Without You,” infectious “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” and pop-anthem “Since U Been Gone.” She also brought out Ballerini and Cartelli to assist on “Miss Independent,” a perfect gesture given the lineup.

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