Keith Urban wipes away tears watching Kelly Clarkson’s emotional Idol performance

Kelly Clarkson delivered a powerful and touching rendition of "Piece by Piece" on American Idol, which visibly affected judge Keith Urban. During the performance of this song about her distant father, Clarkson became emotional in the final part. Urban was clearly moved as tears flowed down his face while she sang.

The audience fully supported Clarkson's heartfelt performance despite her struggling with some lyrics. She also became teary after finishing the song, and everyone present felt the strong impact of her delivery.

With lyrics such as "I will never leave her like you left me and she will never have to wonder her worth," it's easy to understand why Clarkson found it difficult to complete the song. After she finished, host Ryan Seacrest commented, "The emotion that you show, always, but particularly in that significant song, it's just amazing."

Clarkson, visibly pregnant during the show, explained, "I'm expecting and it's sentimental. And I can't think this is the final season. I'm very sorry – I'm actually quite happy that I got that far." The crowd applauded supportively, clearly feeling her apology was unnecessary.

The music video for the song features the initial dance pop arrangement, which differs greatly from the simple piano ballad version she performed on American Idol.

Viewers shared many positive comments about Clarkson's performance, including: "I attended this performance and everyone was crying. This show made all of us tear up and even now, it still makes me emotional," and "This is an outstanding performance; a true treasure. Thanks to Kelly Clarkson for giving everything and being completely open."

Many fans also praised the pianist accompanying Clarkson for maintaining the song's structure, tempo and correct chords while allowing the singer time to regain her composure. The performance could have fallen apart if the pianist hadn't managed it properly.

Clarkson composed "Piece by Piece" with producer Greg Kurstin for her seventh album with the same title. She described the song as a follow-up to her hit "Because of You," but with a "positive conclusion." Following a discussion with her sister about their family, Clarkson wrote the first-person lyrics addressing her neglectful father. She contrasts his actions with those of her then-husband Brandon Blackstock, highlighting his love and support for their daughter.

In a conversation with The Huffington Post, Clarkson shared insights about the song's creation, explaining "Many reasons I created 'Piece by Piece' was because I didn't understand how serious the situation was until I had my own child, and until I felt love like I do with Brandon every day. I suppose you don't notice something is absent until you experience it."