Kelly Clarkson Turns Taylor Swift's 'Shake It Off' Into Soulful Church Song

By
Brian Anthony Hernandez
 on 
Kelly Clarkson Turns Taylor Swift's 'Shake It Off' Into Soulful Church Song
Kelly Clarkson performs at the 55th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 10, 2013. Credit: John Shearer/Invision/AP, File

Just in time for Taylor Swift's Oct. 27 release of 1989, Kelly Clarkson is giving the album some promo with a cover of "Shake It Off."

The original American Idol winner transformed the beginning of Swift's haters-gonna-hate hit into a self-described "church version" that's reminiscent of Clarkson's soulful Thankful days.

"Seriously, everybody gives Taylor Swift a hard time, but she can write a hook, I'm just saying, that's a good song" Clarkson, who won Idol in 2002 and has since earned three Grammys, told the crowd in Buffalo this week.

Her rendition made it to Swift, who told her 45.8 million Twitter followers that "watching Kelly Clarkson SLAY" the song is an "excellent way" to hold themselves over until 1989 comes out.

Watching Kelly Clarkson SLAY "Shake It Off" is an excellent way to celebrate 26 HOURS TIL 1989!!!!!! #TS1989 http://t.co/StqJLKObGC— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) October 26, 2014

And here's Swift's original, for comparison:

Clarkson is currently re-promoting her 2013 Christmas album, Wrapped in Red, with a new music video for the title track.

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