Kelly Clarkson reveals she was just trying to pay bills when she auditioned for 'Idol'

Kelly Clarkson has revealed that she had no idea she was auditioning for a TV show when she first tried out for American Idol.

During the Thursday, March 27 episode of Kylie Kelce's Not Gonna Lie podcast, the 42-year-old singer reflected on her groundbreaking journey on the inaugural season of the hit reality competition in 2002 — where she became the show’s first-ever winner.

"For all of us in that first season, we literally didn't ... I didn't even know it was a TV show until my third audition", she shared. 

"Like, we were literally trying to pay our bills. We're like, 'Oh, this might work. I might meet someone or whatever.' Nobody knew it was gonna amount to anything," Clarkson admitted.

She continued: "We were literally, like, kids — you know, 19 years old just trying to pay my electric bill, y'all. You know, and afford the deductible on my car that was bashed in that I couldn't afford. So it was a different thing."

Clarkson also spoke candidly about how isolating it was to be the first American Idol champion, saying she didn’t have anyone to turn to for advice.

"I had no one. I was the first winner. It was hard. Not to sound like, whatever, but it was really hard," she confessed.

RELATED: Kelly Clarkson drops rare comment about ex Brandon Blackstock