Kelly Clarkson Debuts "Meaning of Life" This Month

From the day she was crowned as the champion of the American Idol (First Season), singer and songwriter Kelly Clarkson has not only proven that she could be the star that America idolises, but also by the world. 

And it can be said that America did make the right choice during the show’s finale. Now jump to 15 years and seven studio albums later, Clarkson’s stardom has remained gleaming as ever – and even brighter as she has been appointed as a coach in NBC’s “The Voice” season 14.

Come October 27^th, the singer will be debuting her eighth studio album – and the first with her new recording label Atlantic – to the delight of her fans. Entitled “Meaning of Life”, the album serves as a follow up to her 2015 release “Piece by Piece” which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 as well as on top 10 positions in Canada, Australia, Ireland, Scotland and the United Kingdom. 

Described as a collection of smart and sensual soul-inspired pop record, “Meaning of Life” contains 14 tracks and is produced by a coterie of renowned producers namely Jason Halbert, Jesse Shatkin, Greg Kurstin (Grammy Award-winning “Producer of the Year”), Mick Schultz, The Monarch and Nick Ruth. 

Furthermore, love and relationship is the theme that dominates the tone and manner of the album. Unlike her previous albums, this album deviates from the usual Pop/Rock nuances. Instead, besides Soul, one will notice a generous hints of Gospel and R&B echoing throughout the tracks. 

On its cover artwork and the promotional stills, 80s and 90s look and feel ― the big hairdo, embroidered pearl-drenched outfit that could be possibly culled from one of Olivier Rousteng’s creations for Balmain, and leather sweetheart-neckline corset worn underneath a jacket ― is perhaps a possible homage to the style of Soul/R&B stars of the yesteryears. 

To kick-start the hype, Clarkson and her new label have launched three singles into the airwaves and social media platforms such as YouTube with “Love So Soft” being serviced as the lead, followed by “Move You” and “Meaning of Life”. 

A soul-trap R&B-flavoured song, “Love So Soft” displays a subtle nuance of Doo-Wop at the beginning and further amplified with stunning gymnastic vocals by Clarkson. 

Penned by songwriters Maureen “Mozella” McDonald, Jesse Shatkin, and Priscilla Renea, the song talks about love that’s so fragile yet strong at the same time. The single is accompanied by a music video set in a setting of epic proportion, directed by Dave Meyers – the wunderkind behind Missy Elliott’s “Work It” and “Pass That Dutch” music videos.

The single “Move You” kicks off with a slow, soulful tempo with booming echoes of the organ at the back and enhanced by the harmonious backing of Gospel-style background vocal. Spiritual hints can be traced inside the lyrics as well as in its progressive tone. 

On the other hand, the title track “Meaning of Life” has a strong blues nuance with strong lead vocals provided by Clarkson herself. The richness of her voice is further supported with the echoes of brass instruments, pipe organ and harmonious backing vocals.

“The Meaning of Life” will be available in music stores and in digital download forms from 27^th October 2017 onwards.

*Photos by Vincent Peters; courtesy of Atlantic Records/Warner Music