Kelly Clarkson released her tenth studio album after her divorce (Picture: Brian Bowen Smith)
Kelly Clarkson needs no introduction but her latest offering feels as if she’s putting herself out there for the first time all over again with its raw, gritty sound and vulnerable lyrics to boot.
The Texas-born queen of pop, 41, is back and ready to hit the charts running as she has done – ridiculously successfully – a humble nine times before.
Her tenth studio album came in the aftermath of her divorce after nearly seven years of marriage to television producer Brandon Blackstock, 46.
Chemistry was three years in the making and ultimately ripped apart her breakup while allowing listeners physically feel her put herself right back together again in the most triumphant exploration of love we’ve ever heard from the 2002 American Idol champion.
If a soundtrack for a self-care Sunday is on the to-do list look no further as Kelly offered up her take on the ultimate hot girl summer setlist that not only empowers but radiates positivity.
Pressing play, a wave of Kelly nostalgia flooded our headphones as the sounds of the popstar we know and love hit our eardrums.
Kelly’s Chemistry contained 14 tracks about her relationship with love (Picture: Brian Bowen Smith)
She penned raw lyrics about how she was dealing with her loss (Picture: Brian Bowen Smith)
Her opening track Skip This Part unfolded as a slow ballad introducing the roller-coaster of recovery that was about to kick off.
The songstress’s beautiful timeless vocals and epic tones narrated the soulful sounds that just dripped like honey as Kelly settled back into her element.
Catapulting her career that began in the early 2000s into the modern era of TikTok tunes and teeny boppers, the song built with a poppy waltz-like dance tempo and interesting edged on soft rock as she belted out her feelings.
Continuing to remind us all how she made her namesake, Kelly’s next track Mine opened with jazzy, simple almost unaccompanied notes and let her outstanding vocal range do all the talking.
A favourite of ours, rich backing vocals, runs of her entire register and a nod to the era that made her with indie pop chilled-out swells and upbeat drums – this second song meant business and announced her return to album-making with a definitive bang.
The star has won multiple Grammy awards (Picture: Brian Bowen Smith)
Kelly and Brandon got divorced in 2022 (Picture: Getty Images)
As the album flowed, so did the mood and listeners could feel the shift in energy as the star began rebuilding herself following a traumatic, gut-wrenching heartbreak.
High Road offered up all the ingredients to concoct the perfect motivational feel-good track and allowed fans to feel her forceful, reassuring energy seep into their veins.
The drums helped the tune reach its fantastically powerful crescendo and the song gave way to more of an anthem intended to be screamed from the top of the singer’s lungs.
Magic and Favourite Kind of High took notes from High Road as they bopped and belted as only Kelly’s music could and thrilled the ear one pitch-perfect lyric at a time.
Adhering to the true nature of turmoil and grief, the Grammy award-winner ripped out heartstrings with Lighthouse.
Standing out above the rest, this tear-jerking ballad broke synergy with the bounciness of the album for a moment to let Kelly’s pain seep out into her music.
In what was potentially the deepest moment of the collection, the no-frills piano guided her voice to heights we already knew she could reach – but couldn’t help but sit back in awe as she sang her way into her higher register.
Unable to peel our ears away from the sound, as the emotive lyrics rolled on the tune made us reflect on situations from our own lives as we momentarily healed along with Kelly.
She ends the song as poetically as she began it – in a way that almost mirrored blowing out a candle – as the sound suddenly puffed into a stoic silence.
Rounding out the Kelly classic, she hit hard her message home as she declared I Hate Love over and over again.
Nodding to her Western heritage, the banjo rang out as she grappled with her attitude post-divorce and admitted romantic love wasn’t on the agenda for the time being, submitting her application for heartbreak anthem of the summer.
That’s Right danced its way home and ended the experience on a note of finality that things may finally be as they were meant to be.
Inflicting a hint of Latin dance beats, the carefree tune claimed back her power and her gritty voice washed away the painful memories of the past as she returned to her upbeat self.
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Musically, it was a satisfying ending to a body of work that predominantly stayed true to her signature style and talent that has stood the test of time.
On Chemistry, Kelly’s a woman of refreshingly fiery candour and well, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Kelly Clarkson’s new album Chemistry is available to stream now.
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