"Alrighty,” grinned an unknown 20-year-old Texan, standing in the spotlight of a Dallas audition room before Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and a whole host of television cameras. “Do I just start?”

It was with those simple words that a star was born. Wearing a hand-made dress fashioned out of her old jeans, Kelly Clarkson - who had recently spent three days living in her car after her flat burned down – proceeded to belt out Etta James’ ...