When Kelly Clarkson swapped record labels, her fans may not have known that there was more brewing under the surface. In a situation worthy of a Ryan Murphy drama, Clarkson told Variety that her feud with record exec Clive Davis almost halted her career entirely.
Clarkson's troubles with Davis seemed to start with her song "Because of You." According to Clarkson, Davis wasn't that impressed by the ballad and voiced his thoughts during a meeting, where she was told that she was simply a voice and that her opinion didn't matter.
"I was told that was a shitty song because it didn’t rhyme," Clarkson told Variety. "A group of men thought it was OK to sit around a young woman and bully her. I was told I should shut up and sing. And then, this is the best part. He [Davis] played me the song that should be on the album, which was 'Behind These Hazel Eyes,' which I wrote. Am I a shitty writer?"
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Clarkson said that having the chance to work with Davis was something that she had dreamed of for over 15 years. When it did happen and didn't quite live up to her expectations — even though the two were hugely successful together — she decided to switch labels. It wasn't just because of one song, either. Clarkson says that Davis tried to completely bury her album My December. He had no problem taking the credit for the success of her work, however. Though he refused to speak on the matter for Variety's profile, Clarkson said that executives were always quick to share in her work when she was releasing radio hits.
With a new album, Meaning of Life, on the way and a spot on the Voice coaches' lineup, it seems that Clarkson seems to be doing just fine without Davis. There's more to being an American Idol than having a great voice, and Clarkson is showing that she's using hers to stand up for herself.
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