Watch Kelly Clarkson slay Metallica’s ‘Sad But True’ like you've never heard it before

Kelly Clarkson continues to prove that she can cover anything, and this time she brought the house down with her take on Metallica .

Listen to Kelly Clarkson Radio , Metallica Radio , and more on the free Audacy app

Clarkson ’s Kellyoke segment on her talk show will forever reign as a fan favorite. With her powerhouse vocals and attention to emotionality, the American Idol has covered everyone from Ariana Grande and Katy Perry to The White Stripes and Radiohead . The internet has taken notice of her range, with multiple covers going viral on TikTok. One such video hilariously named the singer "Song Slayer Clarkson" and wrote, “If Kelly covers your song it's now hers, sorry!”

Still, taking on the rock musings of Metallica would be a tricky task for even the most experienced musicians. On yesterday’s episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show , the 42-year old singer took on the song "Sad But True" as if it was no big deal, and again, slayed it.

She began the song as a soft ballad, creeping as she sang the haunting lyrics about a dark force being “your only true friend.” As soon as she belted out the title lyric, Clarkson and her band launched into true rock: heavy bass, drums, and power vocals. Clarkson riffed: “I'm your dream, make you real / I'm your eyes when you must steal / I'm your pain when you can't feel / Sad but true.”

As metalheads may know, the song was originally released under Metallica’s 1991 self-titled album. Commonly called 'The Black Album’, “Sad but True” can be heard alongside major hits like “Enter Sandman” and “Nothing Else Matters.” Clarkson didn’t try to recreate the song as it was recorded - such a task would be impossible and seem phony to Metallica’s diehard fans. Rather, she opted to change around some details, like the specific instrumentation, tempo, or melody. These changes made the sinister-rock essence of the song pop out even more, making her cover all the more impressive and cool.

You can decide whether or not Metallica has become the latest victim of "Song Slayer Kelly" by watching the Kellyoke cover above, and of course, check out both artists via Audacy’s Kelly Clarkson Radio and Metallica Radio , and more on the free Audacy app.