January 14, 2004

Clay Aiken, Kelly Clarkson Plan Joint Headlining Tour

By Corey Moss (MTV.com)

"Justified and Stripped" is history. The next hot joint tour might as well be called "Invisible and Thankful."

Clay Aiken and Kelly Clarkson will join forces for a co-headlining arena trek kicking off in late February. Tour dates will be announced later in the week, and a spokesperson for both artists said on Tuesday (January 13) that the outing will hit about 30 cities.

"We are thrilled about sharing the stage for this momentous next step in both of our careers," Aiken wrote on his Web site.

In a recent interview, the American Idol 2 runner-up said he was proud to be associated with the show and fellow contestants like Clarkson.

"I think the public is looking for something that they can call their own, and that's part of the reason that American Idol and Ruben [Studdard] and Kelly and myself have been successful, because we've been able to be an artist that the public can relate to," he explained. "And hopefully we'll continue to be someone that they can relate to."

Aiken's next single will be "The Way," his spokesperson said, a song Enrique Iglesias co-wrote. He's currently reading video treatments from various directors.

And while Clarkson recently said she would continue acting, Aiken isn't quite ready for From Clay to Kelly.

"I'm not much of an actor. I don't know, we'll see," said the Raleigh native, who as a child starred in a production of "The Sound of Music" with fellow North Carolinian Frankie Muniz. "Maybe I need to take a class or two first."

Fans are more likely to see Aiken in another reality show.

"If The Amazing Race is ready for a celebrity edition, sign me up," Aiken said of the show he originally wanted to audition for, until a friend talked him into American Idol. "I'm like their best promoter, I really am. The Amazing Race was a fast-paced show, there was action, there was definitely something happening. And with American Idol there's something happening, there's a progression to the show. Otherwise I'm not a real big reality show fan. Now, I guess I'm kind of a product of a reality show, so I shouldn't be saying that."