Kelly Clarkson Covers The Smashing Pumpkins' '1979'

Kelly Clarkson has been covering all our favourite bands who made it big in the ‘90s on Kellyoke, the karaoke segment on her talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show.

From Mazzy Star to Radiohead, she’s clearly not afraid of taking on universally beloved classics like Fade Into You or Fake Plastic Trees. The latest performance on Kellyoke shouldn’t surprise too much, based on her recent song choices: Kelly Clarkson has covered 1979, the coming-of-age banger by The Smashing Pumpkins.

Retaining that sweet, nostalgic melody, Clarkson stays faithful to the original while adding some extra keyboard flourishes and going for some bigger notes in the chorus. She does the song justice, and her own spins are pretty nice. Check it out below.

On 1 February, The Smashing Pumpkins announced that they’re bringing the inaugural The World Is A Vampire festival to Australia, performing at ten venues in metro and regional areas across the country.

From the haunting Disarm from their breakthrough album, 1993’s Siamese Dream, to the majesty of Tonight, Tonight and the savagery of Bullet With Butterfly Wings from the ten times platinum monster, 1995’s Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness - which was the best-selling double album of the ’90s - The Smashing Pumpkins have been a mainstay in the rock world for over three decades.

The band's most recent releases, 2018’s Shiny and Oh So Bright and 2021’s Cyr, featured the singles Solara, The Colour Of Love and Wyttch, which have polarised and won over fans. This year, the band will release their most ambitious work to date, Atum: A Rock Opera In Three Acts.

Penned over the past four years, Atum serves as a sequel to Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness and 2000’s Machina/Machine Of God.

The World Is A Vampire Festival

April 2023

Saturday, 15 April - Stuart Park, Wollongong NSW

Sunday, 16 April - Sandstone Point, Bribie Island QLD

Tuesday, 18 April - Hordern Pavilion, Sydney NSW *

Wednesday, 19 April - Newcastle Entertainment Centre NSW *

Saturday, 22 April - Hastings Foreshore, Mornington Peninsula VIC

Sunday, 23 April - Kryal Castle, Ballarat VIC

Wednesday, 26 April - Adelaide Entertainment Centre SA *

Thursday, 27 April - PICA, Port Melbourne VIC *

Saturday, 29 April - Nepean Aerospace Park - Penrith NSW