“A Moment Like This” by Kelly Clarkson

Given the background of Kelly Clarkson’s “A Moment Like This” (being written as the winning song of American Idol Season 1), it is safe to assume that this isn’t a typical love song between two people – but more of life and the overcoming of challenges, in this case winning American Idol.

The “moment” in question would be the time Clarkson won the competition, having finally realized her dream of being in the music industry and singing in front of her fans. With that said, the “one special kiss” could be in relation to the sweetness of her accomplishment, something that would feel like heaven.

The initial shock of winning can make anyone feel like it’s unreal yet wanting it to last forever. The rush of realising all the hardships that one had to overcome to reach their goal and to finally achieve it makes every sleepless night, pain, and sacrifice worth it.

We can assume the “you” in “I wanna know that you will catch me when I fall” is referring to Clarkson’s fans. American Idol was based on America’s votes and Clarkson achieved a large fan base through this competition, thus allowing her to win. So, it acts as a humble request of asking if the fans would have her back and continue supporting her post American Idol.

All in all, this song is about the sheer joy of achieving something that one had dreamt of for probably all their lives.

When did Kelly Clarkson release “A Moment Like This”?

The song, which is one of Clarkson’s first singles, was released on September 17 of 2002. The song was initially released as a non-album single. However, it was later included on the playlist of the singer’s debut studio project, “Thankful”.

Accolades

“A Moment Like This” was a big hit, especially in America and Canada, where it topped the official singles charts in both countries.

In 2017, HuffPost published a list of the “Greatest Pop Diva Singles” of all time. This song made an appearance at the 11th position on the said list. And by the way, at the number 1 position of that list was Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time“.

In October 2002, “A Moment Like This” was certified Gold by the RIAA in the US. The song also currently has a 2x Platinum certification in Canada.

Did Kelly Clarkson write “A Moment Like This”?

Clarkson did not play any role in authoring this song. It was authored by Swedish songwriter Jörgen Elofsson along with John Reid.

And on the production side, British record producer and songwriter Steve Mac is credited as a co-producer. Stephen Ferrera also receives production credits on this song.

FYI:

This song wasn’t specifically written for Clarkson. However, it was composed purposely for the winner of the maiden edition of American Idol. This means that all the four finalists, including Clarkson had previously recorded their versions of the song. And as the winner of the show, Clarkson’s version was officially released.

Famous Covers

When it comes to cover versions, many artists have performed their versions of this song. A very popular version of “A Moment Like This” was released by British recording artist Leona Lewis in 2006. Lewis’s version was so successful that it was a chart-topper in the UK.

Swedish artist Sandra Oxenryd released her version of the track in 2005. That same year, Dutch singer Glennis Grace also released a version of the song.

Clarkson’s “Thankful” Album

On April 15 of 2003 “Thankful” was officially released. This project was made public through RCA Records in conjunction with other record labels including 19 Recordings International.

Three singles officially accompanied this album. The first, “Miss Independent”, was issued on April 10 of 2003. The second and third singles, “Low” and “The Trouble with Love Is”, were respectively released in August and November of 2003.

This record was a huge success in the United States, where it sat atop the Billboard 200. It got to the #5 spot on the official albums chart in Canada. The album did not enjoy the same success in other regions. For instance, it only managed a peak position of #41 in the UK.

This record has been certified double-Platinum in the US and Platinum in Canada. It has also received Gold certification in Australia, the UK, and Norway.

Despite appearing on “Thankful”, “A Moment Like This” isn’t officially considered one of the album’s singles.