Kelly Clarkson has been incredibly open in recent months about her latest album, Chemistry, which chronicles the ups and downs of a relationship.
The record, a reflection of the 41-year-old’s recent relationship with her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, includes some of the lightest and darkest memories of their eight-year marriage.
In the cover story of the July issue of American Songwriter magazine, the singer opened up about the difficulty of juggling personal and influential work, especially at her birthday show in April, when she first debuted the record.
Speaking to the outlet, Kelly described trying to perform the opening track, ‘Skip This Part’, but was unable to do so.It took some time for him to get sober again before starting again.
Recalling the pain associated with the ballad, she said of the moment, “I was so choked up that even my voice couldn’t come out.” “I was destroyed just screaming. It was the same in the studio with that song. It was really hard to record.”
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The American Idol winner delved deeper into the meaning behind the album opener, which describes a desire to let go of feelings of sadness, resentment, and pain.
She adds, “Everyone keeps saying the end is coming, but I really want to leave it all.” “It just hurts physically, emotionally, mentally – everything hurts – and I think, unfortunately, people can relate to that.”
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Released on June 23, chemistryWhat has been dubbed Kelly’s “divorce album” received positive reviews upon release and became her ninth top ten record in her native United States.
© Getty ImagesWhen he first announced the album in March, he described it as a bridge between the range of emotions one can feel in a relationship.
“I have been working on this project for almost three years,” she said in a video message. “I wasn’t sure I was going to release it, but I am.
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Regarding the album’s title, she explained: “I was trying to find a word, it could be one of the songs on the album. [spoiler alert: it is], but I was trying to find a word that really described the whole thing. I didn’t want everyone to think I was just bringing up some ‘I’m angry,’ ‘I’m sad’ – just an emotion or two. This album is definitely the arc of the whole relationship.”
© Getty ImagesShe further added, “The whole relationship shouldn’t be limited to one thing. There’s good, bad and ugly kind of stuff going on in it. Chemistry can be a really amazing, sexy, cool, fun thing, but it can also be could be very bad for you. That’s why I named it chemistryI thought it was the perfect title to describe the entire album.”
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chemistry It is a look at Kelly’s relationship with the former Brandon, a talent manager who was introduced to her by her close friend Reba McEntire, who happens to be Brandon’s former stepmother.
© Getty ImagesThe couple welcomed daughter Rivers (nine) and son Remington (seven) during their marriage, but their split has since resulted in a messy divorce, including disputes over property and spousal support.