For more than 20 years, Kelly Clarkson has become one of the most influential pop stars, from the moment she won the very first season of American Idol in 2002 through her breakout single, “Since U Been Gone,” and on a long line of hits—”Because of You,” “My Life Would Such Without You,” “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You),” and “Piece by Piece,” among others.
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She has penned the majority of the songs within her lengthy catalog from her 2003 debut, Thankful, through her tenth album, and one of her most personal, chemistry, which was written in the midst of her painful divorce, and featuring a collective of hand-picked songwriters along with special guests Sheila E and actor, comedian (and banjo player) Steve Martin.
“Sometimes I’m too empathetic, or I put myself in somebody’s shoes, or I look at every side of the situation,” Clarkson recently told American Songwriter. “That can be a curse because you remove yourself and you’re not thinking about what you’re going through. You’re not thinking about you. You forget to take care of yourself as well, so my process is writing it out.”
In between readying her big move to New York City for The Kelly Clarkson Show, and playing around with writing a Broadway show, Clarkson recently spoke to American Songwriter about her chemistry of songwriting, why she’s ready to release a country album, and if her time as a coach on The Voice is coming to an end.
AS: On chemistry, you worked with specific writers, including GAYLE, who initially wrote “Me.” She presented you with the song, then you reworked it to make it your own. Is there a certain switch you need to turn on when collaborating on a song in this way?
KC: It’s an interesting exercise, writing-wise. Even my kids and I do these storytime things at night before bed. I’ll start a story, then they’ll pick it up, and then the next person will pick it up, and we’ll all tell a story. So it’s kind of like that. It’s kind of an interesting writing exercise. I don’t know why she did this, but I’m gonna take what I feel from it, what I need to get out, and then do it. It’s just a really fun, interesting way to write.
AS: The songs of chemistry were drawn from a specific experience in your life. What direction have you noticed yourself moving in now when writing?
KC: An interesting thing that I’ve noticed, that’s a common thread throughout my life, is I’m always writing. I’ve never released anything, but I’m always writing country. And when I say country, I mean a specific sound of country. It’s more old school. I don’t know what I’ll do with that, but I’m always writing it, so obviously it’s there, and I really want to do it. I just write whatever comes out at the moment, which is how this record [chemistry] came out the way it did.
Country has always been a common theme for me, but I don’t know what I’ll do with it. And I’m taking old country like Hank [Williams], Tammy Wynette. That kind of older country, I really, really dig. I don’t know if I’ll release it, and do it for me, and put it out for whoever takes it. I’ve done a lot of things in my career, and I’ve been very fortunate, but that’s something I love. It’s like a passion project that I’ve always wanted to do.
I’m currently writing a show, a Broadway thing, so that’s something that interests me, too. I’m always writing [country]. I just think that’s something that’s always been present in me and in my soul for years — even on Idol. I remember them asking “Which way do you want to go? I kept fighting. I was 19 fighting these British people going “Please let us do a country week,” and they would never let us do a country week because they didn’t understand country music.
You’re welcome Carrie Underwood.
They would not listen to me, but I was like “We’re in America. A lot of the people that watch the show love country music.” I was just dying to sing a Reba [McEntire] song [“Does He Love You”], and since they wouldn’t do a country week, they surprised me with her at the end of the season.
After that, they started realizing that country music is the thing.
AS: So is it possible that the follow-up to chemistry may be your debut country album?
KC: It’s been in me. I’ve always wanted to pursue something in that field. I’d rather go pop and have everything under that umbrella. I feel like a lot of it is under pop music, but it’s always been like a thing to make like an old school, really cool, organic record. That’s something I’m really interested in because I already have tons of songs. Whatever comes out is what’s supposed to come out — or whatever collaborations happen. I don’t want to push it.
AS: Speaking of American Idol, now that Blake Shelton has retired, and your show [The Kelly Clarkson Show] is moving to New York City, where do you see your future on The Voice?
KC: Well, let me lead with this: I love The Voice. I love working with all those people. I love working with different artists. My move is gonna make it quite difficult to do the show, so I never want to say never, but it’s definitely gonna change. I definitely wanted to make sure that Blake and I got one last season together. I’m moving to New York, and the show doesn’t tape in New York, but I never like to say never because I just love the team so much.
AS: The Voice has always had revolving coach seats, and you’ve already taken breaks from the show in the past.
KC: Yes! That’s the thing that’s so great thing about the show. They always had revolving chairs, and that’s kind of cool. It spices things up for the show, too. I have such a great relationship, not only with The Voice but with NBC in general. We work really well together.
AS: Chemistry is really one of the most personal albums you’ve written. What do you hope listeners can pull from these songs?
KC: The reason why I released this music was because I feel like I didn’t go through all this for nothing. There has to be a reason, more than just in my personal life—especially being an artist and having people that do listen to my music.
If someone is going through the worst divorce, breakup, or whatever situation in life, if they can turn this record on and feel like they’re not alone, I’ve won. I think that’s winning, because that’s the worst part, when you’re going through something, and no one around you is going through that thing. The worst thing is feeling alone, so I don’t want people to feel that. If there’s a song on here or the album as a whole, that someone can listen to on repeat, like we all do, that’s the reason for doing it.
AS: It’s now 20 years since the release of Thankful. Are you still the same songwriter you were then?
Kelly Clarkson: I’m the same writer at the core, in the sense that I can’t write unless there’s a reason. I have friends, their whole life is they go in and they say, “Tuesday at 2 p.m. I’m going to write with this artist, and then I’m going to write Wednesday with this artist,” and they can schedule it. I’m very much an emotional writer. I have to be feeling something, going through something, or inspired by something. It’s never planned. Generally, when you see my name on the song, it’s the melody and the lyrics. That’s what I did.
I’m the same writer in a sense, but I think I’ve evolved because it’s just different chapters. I grew up at 19 years old, winning the show [American Idol], and then growing up in the public eye, musically speaking. There are different stages, so it’s just a growth thing, just being a human and evolving. But I am the same writer in the sense that I’ve always needed to be a writer. It’s not a choice. It’s how I get things out. So I’ve always been that kid. And I think I’ll always be.
Photos: Brian Bowen Smith / Atlantic Records
