Kelly Clarkson Opens Up About Cancer Scare

— -- Kelly Clarkson was terrified the night of her first Grammys, but not for the obvious reasons.

In 2006, the former American Idol, then just 23, was up for two awards -- best female pop vocal performance for "Since U Been Gone" and best pop vocal album for "Breakaway." She was also scheduled to perform her ballad "Because of You" during the show. But that's not what had her nerves on edge.

"I was told that morning that I had cancerous results for something," the 34-year-old singer revealed for the first time on Billboard's Pop Shop Podcast. "Here's the horrible part: I went the whole day crying. They redid my makeup like four times because I was like, 'Wow, so young.' I was just completely freaking out."

She added, "When I won, I thought, 'Oh my God. This is like God giving me one more thing before something horrible happens.' I was so dramatic about it because I was 20-something and scared. It was so weird. I don't even remember anything but being terrified."

Fortunately, Clarkson's cancer scare turned out to be an incorrect diagnosis.

"I went to the doctor the next day and they apologized for mixing up results. And I was like, 'Are you for real?'" the singer recalled. "I was like, 'You completely ruined my entire [experience].'"

Clarkson explained, "The first time for an artist...as a kid watching the Grammys, that was a big dream! It was kind of the worst/greatest day. And the next day was also the worst/greatest day because I wanted to punch someone. I was like, 'Who mixes up results? Why wouldn't you test again?'"

"It was very much a roller coaster ride, that day, for me," she continued. "So, it's kind of unfortunate, but a lot of the moments got stolen from that mishap. But hey, I didn't have cancer!"

Clarkson said performing at the Grammys that year was still an incredible experience.

"At the end of the day, it's amazing that I got to perform something that I wrote at 16," Clarkson said on the podcast. "So, you know, it's cool."