You can tell Kelly was fighting emotion the entire way through. Anyone that has ever sung in their life after tears or trying to fight them knows it can be damn near impossible to control the voice.

Kelly Clarkson paid tribute to her longtime mentor and mother-in-law, Reba McEntire, at the 41st Kennedy Center Honors in December 2018. Clarkson, known for her powerhouse vocals and heartfelt performances, gave an unforgettable speech and a stunning rendition of McEntire’s hit song “Fancy”, leaving the audience in awe.

Clarkson gushed about the special relationship she shares with the country-music queen at the 2018 Kennedy Center Honors.

Kelly Clarkson got teary-eyed when she paid tribute to country-music queen Reba McEntire at the 2018 Kennedy Center Honors in Washington D.C.

During the star-studded ceremony, which aired Wednesday on CBS, Clarkson honored her musical “hero” — who just so happens to be her former mother-in-law — by performing a show-stopping cover of McEntire’s 1990 hit “Fancy.”

But first, Clarkson, 36, gushed about her admiration, both professional and personal, for McEntire, 63, one of the night’s honorees.

“I’ve been a fan of Reba since I was a little girl. Her voice has always felt nostalgic for me. Even as an adult, there’s something about her tone and her storytelling that just feels like home,” said Clarkson, who wore a gorgeous red floor-length gown.

“Sometimes when we meet our heroes, it doesn’t always pan out how you hope. But meeting Reba — being friends with her, and eventually becoming family — has been one of the highlights of my life, truly,” she said. “So thank you so much for listening to me vent as an artist. Thank you so much for comforting me on the phone through my tears, like a friend. And thank you for being a really rad grandma for my kids.”

“I love you so much. I hope you enjoy this song,” Clarkson added, before joking, “Don’t judge me!”

McEntire leapt to her feet and gave Clarkson two thumbs up after her performance.YouTube

The”American Idol” champ needn’t have worried. McEntire loved her powerful performance. When Clarkson finished, she and the rest of the audience leapt to their feet in a standing ovation.

Of course, McEntire has been a fan of the Grammy winner’s voice for years. The duo have sung together many times, including their 2007 duet of Clarkson’s song “Because of You.”

In a sweet twist, the two singers were even family members for a while: When Clarkson wed her manager, Brandon Blackstock, in 2013, McEntire became her mother-in-law. At the time, the country music superstar was married to Blackstock’s stepfather, musician Narvel Blackstock. The couple divorced in 2015.

The 2018 Kennedy Center Honors took place Dec. 2 at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. This year’s honorees also included singer and acting legend Cher, composer Philip Glass, jazz great Wayne Shorter and the creators of the Broadway smash hit “Hamilton.”