So…What IS on the Kelly Clarkson Album that is so Controversial?

So…What IS on the Kelly Clarkson Album that is so Controversial? by Roxanne McDonald

The news continues to air (or run) about Kelly Clarkson taking back creative control after Clive wanted to shelve the whole CD because of questionable content. Well, what content is getting the flack? No news sites or shows are saying, dammit.

I first heard the teaser on FOX 5 News that lead with, “What was it in the CD that Clive objected to?” But, as is typical, by the time the piece aired…almost an hour later, it was about one minute long and said nothing “new”.

This is why I hate the news (along with the majority of the consumed time being used for coverage of death, decay,

debilitation, and destruction—which gives us sensitive folk terrible nightmares).

Celebrity Spider relays reports (on May 4th, by The Daily Star) that after Clive Davis, chief executive at Sony BMG listened to the new CD, he wasn’t “impressed”. The pressure was on to dump the album in its entirety.

A BMG spokesperson had said that Kelly Clarkson, “one of the biggest priorities on the label,” was met with “absolutely merciless criticism,” her “new songs savaged.”

Later reports tell how Clarkson had worked on My December for 18 months, and how Clive asked for “significant changes,” wanting to stop the publication of the CD altogether.

A TMZ report noted how one source said Clarkson and Davis share a “deep tension” between them, and how Kelly was “definitely upset…but not a stupid girl.” No, the smart Idol winner, who wrote the tracks such as “Never Again,” “Sober”, and “Yeah”, thinks “a lot of people are going to be able to relate” to the album (records interviewer Chris Willman of EW.Online). She is excited to be recognized as a writer as well as for her vocal acumen; and with 49 top awards in less than five years time, the singing sensation had the creative

clout she needed (along with the courage) to defy Clive and insist the album be made as planned.

In interview with Willman, Clarkson had commented on how they (at BMG) “just didn’t prefer the album, really, at all. They don’t like me writing a whole lot, just to be honest with you. Not even after I’ve written No. 1 [songs]. So, yeah, they’re not big into that.”

“But,” she continued, “they’re coming around, and they like it now, and obviously it’s doing well on radio right now, so they’re liking it even more. And taking credit!”

While Clarkson conceded to how they approach producing winning music, noting that “everything — sometimes — with labels is a formula. And they’re trying to make money, so they want to come out with Breakaway II.”

“But I don’t want to come out with Breakaway II, because I already have that record. It’s a little hard for them sometimes to come around, just because taking a different artistic path is a chance. And I get it — they’re obviously a record label trying to make money. But now people at the label are really starting to dig it, and it just kind of took a while for them. They didn’t like Breakaway either, and they didn’t like Thankful either. So it’s the same for every record. But it’s turning around; they like it now.”

They still have not disclosed, or we have not been informed what exactly was the problem with the songs. Maybe that high up, the vagaries are just…understood? I would still like to know specifics.

Of course, I am (though not a reporter to begin with, this is obvious) not helping spread any more informational news by writing about only what’s been already covered. But I again express how frustrating it is not to know all the facts!

Was she too risqué with lyrics? Is there hidden “Spaghetti Incident” material? Is she promoting cop killing or decrying the war? Being “not all that impressed” just doesn’t cut it. Vague doesn’t sell news or records, man!

SirLinksAlot American Idol links
Celebrity Spider Kelly Clarkson links

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