Watch Kelly Clarkson Prove Lainey Wilson True with Her “Smell Like Smoke” Cover

Kelly Clarkson recently opened her daytime talk show with a Kellyoke performance of Lainey Wilson’s “Smell Like Smoke.” On March 6, Clarkson actually had Wilson as a guest on her show, and the two did a duet of Wilson’s recent hit “Country’s Cool Again.” Clarkson continued with the Lainey love on the March 7 episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Dressed in an easy-going t-shirt and emerald green wide-leg pants combo, Clarkson began her rendition of “Smell Like Smoke” on a small lighted stage, a new addition to the show’s set. She channeled Wilson’s infectious energy during the performance, smiling as she sang, and that playfulness showed through in her vocals.

Covering a Lainey Wilson song is automatically going to be a fun time, and Clarkson knocked it out of the park. She doesn’t have as thick a twang as Wilson has from being born and raised in Louisiana, but Clarkson did tap into her Texas roots a bit for this edition of Kellyoke. It seems that her accent comes out when she sings country songs, which aids her in completely nailing the vibe. She is forever a “y’all” girly, all things said and done.

[RELATED: Fans Petition for Kelly Clarkson To Go Country After Breathtaking Cover of George Strait’s “Carrying Your Love With Me”]

Lainey Wilson Praises Kelly Clarkson for Her Ability to Cover Any Song

During her appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Lainey Wilson and Clarkson heaped praise on each other for their contributions to the music industry, their talents, and their overall awesomeness. Wilson, in particular, complimented Clarkson’s ability to cover virtually any song.

“Even when you’re up here just covering everybody else’s songs, it’s not just like you just learned the words and you got up there. I mean, you are feeling it for everything that it is. I just want to say thank you for doing that. That means so much to me…” said Wilson, thanking Clarkson for her previous rendition of “Heart Like a Truck.”

Wilson continued, “You’re singing everybody’s songs better than their singing them!” She then joked, “You better quit!”

Although Kelly Clarkson is definitely an icon when it comes to the music industry—someone needs to get her a sash that says “Miss Belting USA”—she’s still humble about her abilities and finds it hard to take compliments. She dodged Wilson’s earnest compliment, which led to some of her fans getting frustrated.

One fan commented on the YouTube clip of the show, “I know it’s none of my business but sometimes I get frustrated by how much Kelly dodges compliments.” They continued, “I hope someday she can feel comfortable enough to know that she deserves these accolades…”

Featured Image via YouTube/The Kelly Clarkson Show