Eight years ago, Kelly Clarkson's diary read, "I will never stray too far from the sidewalk." Drawing inspiration from her tears, sixteen-year-old Clarkson penned a melancholy memoir that would one day become the hit "Because of You." And just a few years ago, The Black Eyed Peas, minus their female rocker Fergie, were cranking out some pretty impressive tunes that were only being heard by a small fraction of their current fans. But today, both stars have found their way to Grammy-winning stardom, and their tour schedules include nearly every corner of the world-even the often neglected Israel.

Originally planned for March, Clarkson's sold-out performances at the Hangar 1 club in Tel Aviv are now rescheduled (due to a throat infection) for late 2006 or early 2007. However, the fans who anticipated filling the 5,000-capacity venue for each of the back-to-back shows have not lost their excitement for a visit from the pop star.

"Almost every newspaper has had an exclusive interview with [Clarkson]," says Lior Arviv, a 16-year-old from Rishon Le Zion in Central Israel. "There was a commercial about it on TV and on the radio. It is a huge thing."

In the mega-star tour circuit, Israel is rarely considered as a destination because of security-related concerns. But for some pop stars, the mere suggestion of adding Israel to their tour schedule is all it takes. The Black Eyed Peas' Jewish manager, Seth Friedman, feels it wasn't a big question to add Israel to the tour. When asked whether it took much convincing to get the band to make the trip, he said, "Took about 30 seconds!" They even made Tel Aviv their first gig on the European tour that also includes Kiev, Istanbul, Monaco and more. Friedman says, "It is someplace that I really think the band will love. [BEP member] Will.i.am has a deep interest in theology, so it's a natural fit for him to visit Israel."

For Clarkson's visit, Israeli fans can thank the persuasive efforts of her guitarist Danny Weissfeld, a Tel Aviv native. According to Weissfeld, who has strummed for Clarkson for over two years, the songstress has often expressed her passion for seeing Israel-especially Jerusalem-and the Dead Sea. Jumping at the opportunity to expose her to his homeland, Weissfeld says, "When her European tour was being booked, I just threw the idea out there [of adding Israel to the schedule] and showed her some pictures of Israel off my laptop. And that was it."

"Most of the people that come around here don't really come while they're at the 'top of the hill'," explains Audrey Oved, an 18-year-old music enthusiast from Jerusalem. She's referring to the trend of music acts that book Israel only after their careers peak; this year's roster includes Phil Collins and Depeche Mode. The only current high-profile international artists charting new territory on Israeli soil are the Black Eyed Peas, 50 Cent, Madonna (who's been around, but is back on top again) and Clarkson.

These stars' acknowledgment of Israel and its music fans is treated as a nationwide event. Lior explains, "People are so excited that a famous person comes, that sometimes people who aren't even fans [of the artist] become fans and buy tickets just because they know this person is coming."

Weissfeld (Clarkson's guitarist) can certainly relate to Israel's passion for international music, as he fondly recalls his own memories as a young fan and aspiring rock star. "Israelis are very loyal to local music, but we still put international artists in a very high place," he says. "I got to see Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Alanis Morissette, Rage Against the Machine and Radiohead. I also got to meet and talk to band members...about their shows and how much love they got from the fans here." In fact, Weissfeld believes that Radiohead may owe their big break to the Israeli radio stations that heavily played their first single, "Creep," while the rest of the world seemingly disregarded the song.

But neither Clarkson nor The Peas are disregarding Israel's love for music. They both consider Israel as important a stop on their tour as any other place. While in Boston on their spring Civic Tour, [BEP member] Fergie went backstage with JVibe and said, "We're very excited to go to Israel. The Holy Land!" Friedman adds, "In the ever-shrinking music business, it is essential that you reach every corner of the world to ensure longevity in your career." Of course, the band will also want to play the part of tourists while they're in the Holy Land. "The band will spend a few days there," Friedman says, "and I plan on staying on for a few days after."

Israeli music fan Audrey Oved hopes that more big-name artists venture to Israel. "When given the chance, getting to see someone live whose music you love is one of the greater things to experience," she says. "Overall, the amount of performers to come here is very small. I think that it is a big loss for us and them, because Israel is a great place to see at least once in a lifetime. Warm, appreciative people, a great view and so much more."

Abby Hoicowitz is a graduate student in the Ohio University School of Journalism. Abby calls herself a music junkie and hopes that her journalism career will include interviews with Fiona Apple, Aretha Franklin and Gavin DeGraw.

Lindsey Silken enjoys the older Black Eyed Peas' music best and lets no one except Fergie get away with pulling her curls.