Kelly Clarkson thinks there is a lot of pressure on women in the music industry

Asked if there's pressure on artists to conform to a particular set commercial package in the music industry, she said: "Aesthetically, yes, much more for women. But musically, it’s the same for both men and women. I have a lot of male friends whose labels wanted them to sound like whatever they felt was going to make them money."

The mother-of-two - who has River Rose, three, and 18-month-old Remington Alexander with her husband Brandon Blackstock - has had every single small fluctuation in her weight documented in the media and she is glad she is able to talk about it in a bid to help other people feel comfortable in their own skin.

She added: "The media has always been obsessed with it [her size]. And I have felt conflicted over the years. Do you address it? Do you talk about it? Because then you just add to the noise. But people like me to talk about it, so I don’t really mind carrying that flag.

"I love that people come up to me and say, 'Because you are comfortable in your skin, you have made me more comfortable in mine.' That’s the best compliment ever."

And the 35-year-old singer quipped she needs "Harry Potter magic" to look as good as she does.

She told The Mail on Sunday's You magazine: "If I were a dude, I’d just stroll in with my hat, somebody would powder me and then I’d go on stage. Being a girl, it’s two hours in wardrobe and make-up. It takes Harry Potter magic to make this happen."