Kelly Clarkson took “Monster Mash” to the Kellyoke stage for a Halloween edition of The Kelly Clarkson Show in 2022, giving the familiar seasonal song a dramatic rock treatment. Instead of leaning into the playful novelty style of the original, her version used a darker arrangement and a more theatrical mood.
Bobby “Boris” Pickett first released “Monster Mash” in 1962. The song became a Halloween staple and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its popularity resurfaced on the chart in 2021, when it returned at No. 37—nearly six decades after its debut.
A darker Kellyoke
Clarkson’s performance was staged in an eerie forest setting, and she wore an elaborate Halloween costume. The familiar tune began with a very different feel from Pickett’s cheeky original: the arrangement turned it into a haunting rock ballad, building a more dramatic atmosphere around the lyrics.
The change gave Clarkson room to deliver the song with vocal intensity, including soaring high notes. Rather than simply reproducing the original, the cover shifted its character, setting a theatrical performance against a song many listeners associate with Halloween fun.
That contrast became a central part of the response. Comments on the original YouTube performance video—which has since been deleted—included praise for the arrangement, the rock interpretation and Clarkson’s vocals. Some commenters said the new approach brought another dimension to the well-known song, while others celebrated the unexpected genre shift.
A seasonal song, reworked
“Monster Mash” has endured as a recognizable Halloween hit, but Clarkson’s take offered a different way to hear it. The cover paired the song’s familiar identity with a darker musical direction and the staged atmosphere of the show’s Halloween special.
The performance was a Kellyoke interpretation rather than a new version of the song itself, but its arrangement changed the mood substantially. For viewers who knew the original as a playful party favorite, Clarkson’s rock-ballad approach made the old seasonal tune feel more dramatic. The staging, vocal performance and musical shift together gave the cover its distinctive character—and prompted viewers to praise how freshly the classic had been presented.
