Kelly Clarkson Signs Long-Term Deal With Atlantic Records

[Tweener]

Kelly Clarkson - who had been signed to Sony Music's RCA Records label since winning the first season of American Idol in 2002 - announced on Friday, June 24 that she's moving to Atlantic Records as part of a long-term worldwide deal.

Clarkson's first order of business on the Warner Music Group label will be recording an album for 2017 that will draw on soul music and R&B for inspiration. "We have already started creating a record that I have been wanting to make since I was a little girl and a record that fans have been asking me to make for years. Here's to the future!" the original Idol said in a statement. 

Clarkson's move away from RCA shouldn't come as a shock. Her relationship with the label - and former chairman/CEO Clive Davis - was sometimes rocky, with the release of her 2007 album My December being especially contentious. In a press release announcing the Atlantic signing, Clarkson referred to her longtime partnership with RCA as an "arranged marriage."

"After winning American Idol there was an arranged marriage that occurred that sometimes worked out and sometimes resulted in the hardest experiences of my life,” Clarkson said. 

To celebrate the new deal, Clarkson posted four fan-requested covers on her website: Coldplay’s “Fix You,” Radiohead’s “Creep,” Etta James’s “I’d Rather Go Blind,” and India Arie’s “Ready For Love.” 

[Cypher]

About time! I'm happy she finally got to leave RCA. I can't wait to hear how Atlantic will promote her. They've done a pretty good job with artists like Hunter Hayes.  

[synthesis]

Excited for this! 

[Main Pop Girl]

YAS!  I'm so happy it sounds like she's finally found a record label that supports her visions! I'm still kinda skeptical about RCA after the Britney Jean fiasco but I trust her judgement. The new songs are great tbh, I love how she's literally given us eight new covers in the past week.  

[Main Pop Girl]

It's finally coming!  

 

[Heartbreak Anthem]

I'm ready to be scalped and slayed!

[Ari]

‍

Edited October 23 by Ari

[Lelewlovebird]

I'm actually anticipating her new material a lot! the fact that she finally confirmed the rumors (and that it's finally here next week) made my day.

[Main Pop Girl]

13 hours ago, dangerousmixers said:

Kelly got treated like crap from her old management and not really cared for so i hope she gets the promo and attention she deserves with Atlantic Records as she has such a good voice and I'm ready for whatever she has to bring.

I hope so too! Kelly is so talented and sweet and she really deserves all the best in her career. It will be interesting to hear what she sounds like without any record label intervention, I hope her music stays just as catchy as ever.

[Cypher]

With her slew of demos and unreleased songs that leaked back in 2011, it almost felt like closure from her previous label. Now she's ready to move on to better things!

[Main Pop Girl]

On 9/5/2017 at 3:37 AM, Cypher said:

With her slew of demos and unreleased songs that leaked back in 2011, it almost felt like closure from her previous label. Now she's ready to move on to better things!

True, but there's still hundreds of unreleased songs from back then we have yet to hear... Including that country trio with her backup dancers which never took off!

[Cypher]

1 hour ago, Countess said:

True, but there's still hundreds of unreleased songs from back then we have yet to hear... Including that country trio with her backup dancers which never took off!

Let me live in ignorance pls.