Kelly Clarkson looked like a Christmas dream on Wednesday night as she hosted the 2024 Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in New York City.
The star not only aced her hosting duties, she also performed her own holiday song, “You For Christmas”, for the excited crowd. Also joining the “Breakaway” singer at the event were the Backstreet Boys, Jennifer Hudson, Little Big Town, Coco Jones, Raye and Dan + Shay, to name a few.
The tradition of lighting the Rockefeller tree has been an NYC staple since 1933. “There is truly no tradition like watching that gorgeous tree sparkle and transforming Rockefeller Center into the epicenter of the holiday season in New York,” Jen Neal, the Executive Vice President of Live Events and Specials at NBCUniversal Entertainment, said in a statement.
“With Kelly at the helm, we can’t wait to share this wonderful special and celebrate with the entire country.” The incredible tree stands at 74 feet tall and 43 feet wide and was shipped in from Massachusetts; it is complete with over 50,000 lights and a Swarovski crystal star at the top. Join HELLO! as we discover all the stars at the Christmas event.
The country stars took to the stage with a rendition of “Santa Claus is Back in Town“ from their album The Christmas Record.
While Jimi Westbrook and Phillip Sweet opted to wear suits for the event, Kimberly Schlapman wore a gorgeous white mid-length strapless gown with a warm fur over her shoulders and white gloves.
Karen Fairchild sported a stunning green look, complete with a fur coat to ward off the December chill.
The British star wowed the crowd with “White Christmas”, “Jingle Bells“, and “O Holy Night“ in her signature jazzy style, looking ethereal in a white floor-length gown with an oversized white fur coat to keep her warm.
Singer-songwriter Coco Jones stunned at the event with beautiful renditions of “A Timeless Christmas”, “String of Lights“, and “Do You Hear What I Hear?“
Kelly called the Grammy winner “mesmerizing“ after her stellar performances. She sported a brown fur coat for the night and wore her brunette tresses down to her shoulders.
The Mexican pop queen sang a slew of songs for the joyful crowd, including “Nueva Navidad”, but it was her outfits that had people gasping.
She wore an eye-catching sparkly red jumpsuit with a plunging neckline for her first number, followed by a sheer leotard with jewelled designs and a large red bow on her back, complete with silver knee-high boots for the second song; the showstopper was her incredible sparkling silver jumpsuit complete with a giant red cape that she ended on.