Back in 2002, a 20-year-old Kelly Clarkson left behind her hometown of Burleson, Texas, to audition for a brand-new show called American Idol. Winning over fans and celebrity judges, viewers declared her the winner over Justin Guarini. Now 43, Clarkson has long established herself as a generational vocal talent, winning multiple Grammy Awards and selling more than 82 million records across the globe. This year, the “Breakaway” singer will headline Netflix’s NFL Christmas Gameday stream with her holiday hit “Underneath the Tree.”
“This year I’m kicking off NFL Christmas Gameday, live on Netflix,” Clarkson said in a promotional video. “Two great football games on Christmas Day? That’s a present we can all enjoy.”
The NFL has two matchups slated for Dec. 25. First, the Washington Commanders will take on the Dallas Cowboys beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. Following at 4:30 p.m. Eastern, the Detroit Lions will travel to Minneapolis’ U.S. Bank Stadium to face the Minnesota Vikings.
Clarkson follows Mariah Carey, who kicked off last year’s Christmas Gameday with a pre-recorded performance of her holiday behemoth “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” Netflix has yet to announce 2025’s halftime headliner a year after Beyoncé put on an epic performance last year at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Kelly Clarkson Wrote Her Christmas Hit in Just 5 Minutes
In 2013, Kelly Clarkson fulfilled a career-long dream and recorded her first Christmas album, Wrapped in Red. Debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, Wrapped in Red became the best-selling holiday release in the U.S.
Additionally, its lead single, “Underneath the Tree,” became an international Top 40 Christmas hit song and was radio’s most-played new holiday song of 2013. Not bad for a song written in the span of a sushi order.
“I ordered sushi and when it arrived I had written it,” Clarkson said in a June 2025 YouTube video. “I think because I really love Christmas I write them really quickly for Christmas — because they feel good, because you can be a little cheesy, you know? You don’t have to worry about being cool, which honestly that’s not a concern generally ever because I’m not.”
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