Chemistry | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 23, 2023 | |||
Recorded | 2020–2022 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 44:40 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Producer |
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Kelly Clarkson chronology | ||||
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Singles from Chemistry | ||||
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Chemistry is the tenth studio album by American pop singer Kelly Clarkson. It was released on June 23, 2023, through Atlantic Records. The album is produced by Clarkson's longtime collaborators, Jason Halbert and Jesse Shatkin, as well as newcomers Erick Serna and Rachel Orscher. Debuting at number six on Billboard 200, it became Clarkson's ninth top ten album on the chart. It is her first full-length studio album release of original material since 2017's Meaning of Life.
The album features collaborations with Steve Martin and Sheila E., and according to Clarkson, it illustrates "the arc of an entire relationship", showing every emotion you experience from the beginning to the end, related to the end of her marriage with Brandon Blackstock. [3]
Chemistry was promoted with two singles: the double-A-side singles, "Mine" / "Me" and "Favorite Kind of High". The album supported Clarkson's first ever Las Vegas residency, Chemistry: An Intimate Evening with Kelly Clarkson, which ran for fourteen nights from July 28, 2023, to February 10, 2024.
Chemistry was met with positive reviews, with critics praising Clarkson's voice and the album's emotional and sonic dexterity. A deluxe reissue of the album featuring five new tracks was released on September 22, 2023. [4] Chemistry was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. [5]
Clarkson started working on the follow-up to her 2017 album, Meaning of Life, in 2019. In June 2020, she announced her divorce from husband Brandon Blackstock. Prior to the divorce, she described the album as if Breakaway (2004) and Stronger (2011) had a baby, and more like Meaning of Life. When she appeared on Sunday Today with Willie Geist in September 2020, she then described the album as every emotion you experience from the beginning to the end of a relationship. She calls it the most personal one she has ever released, and it has been therapeutic for her. [6] Clarkson mentioned she had written around sixty songs while going through her divorce. [7]
In a September 2022 interview with Variety , Clarkson talked about the album. She said she had been working on it for two years; it was an important one, and a lot of the songs were recorded two years earlier (2020). When the divorce happened, she needed to write about it. She told her label, "I can't talk about this until I've gone through it," and it's just taken some time to do that. That's one of the reasons we've done a lot of the Christmas stuff the past two years – because I was like, "Well, that's happy!" Describing the record, she says, "And it's not all bad – like, there is heartbreak in it, and there is sadness in it." [8] [9]
In January 2023, during an Instagram live, she mentioned she had just done the album photo shoot with Brian Bowen Smith. [10] While appearing on Angie Martinez's Angie Martinez IRL podcast, Clarkson mentioned one of the songs on the album is called "Red Flag Collector". [11]
Clarkson recorded most of the album in 2020. [8] Two of Clarkson's frequent collaborators, Jason Halbert and Jesse Shatkin, returned to produce this album along with newcomers Eric Serna and Rachel Orscher.
Clarkson wrote on all but two of the album's tracks. "High Road" the third track, is an original song by the duo Jane Black. Rachel Orscher of Jane Black is the associate music producer for The Kelly Clarkson Show , and when Clarkson heard it she thought about asking Orscher if she could cover it during one her Kellyoke segments. Orscher then allowed Clarkson to record the song for the album. Orscher helped produced it with Halbert, and allowed Clarkson to take the song up an octave. [12]
The fourth song "Me" was first written by Gayle and Josh Ronen. They wrote the first verse and chorus. When Clarkson told Atlantic that she was a fan of Gayle's, they told her that she was their artist. Atlantic then sent Clarkson the song. In one night, Clarkson finished the rest of the song. [13]
Clarkson, Jesse Shatkin, and Carly Rae Jepsen wrote the seventh song "Favorite Kind of High". Before it was given to Clarkson, Jepsen wrote the track to it, with Clarkson writing the lyrics and melody when she was given it. One of the happier songs on the album, it is described as a "sexy-ass song" and how it's about "that high when you first see someone and you're like 'Oh, shit.'" [14]
"Red Flag Collector", written by Clarkson, Halbert, and her guitarist Jaco Caraco, begins with a western saloon style vibe with a guitar strum and whistling (from Caraco). The song then takes a more rock turn. A whip can be heard throughout the song, and trumpets are added halfway through. In the bridge, the western saloon style briefly returns with the piano. [15]
The thirteenth track, "I Hate Love", which Clarkson describes as a pop-punk track, features Steve Martin on banjo. Clarkson references Martin in the song which gave her to the idea for Martin to play banjo on it. The title of the track is used in a sarcastic manner. [16] Sheila E. plays drums on the last song "That's Right."
Chemistry was released by Atlantic Records on June 23, 2023. In a September 2022 interview with Variety , Clarkson announced she would release the album in 2023, calling the album "important" and citing music as "helpful" in vocalizing what she feels. [17] On March 25, 2023, Clarkson tweeted wine, heartbreak and sunshine emojis, which is how she described the album while appearing on Access Daily in January 2023. [9] The following day, she announced the album's title on her social media accounts and announced it would be released "soon". [3] [18] [19] There are multiple colored Vinyl LPs. [20]
On April 24, 2023, to help celebrate the release of the album, Clarkson performed the entire Chemistry album at the Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles. The show was taped. [21] On June 22, 2023, she appeared on The Today Show to promote the album. She returned to Today on September 22, 2023, to perform. She performed "Favorite Kind of High", "Mine", "Lighthouse", and "Since U Been Gone". [22] The deluxe reissue of the album was released the same day. She then performed at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas on September 23, where she sung "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)", "Mine", "Miss Independent", "Lighthouse" and "Since U Been Gone. [23] On October 13, she performed "Lighthouse" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon . On October 16, she opened the fifth season of her talk show with "I Won't Give Up", and later appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers . [24] [25] [26]
Clarkson promoted the album during a fourteen night Las Vegas residency, Chemistry: An Intimate Evening with Kelly Clarkson. It ran from July 28 to August 19, 2023, December 30–31, 2023, and February 9–10, 2024, at the Bakkt Theater. [27] [28]
"Mine" and "Me" served as the album's lead single as a double-A-side. [29] Clarkson explained the reason behind the release, saying "we decided to release 'Mine' and 'Me' at the same time because I didn't want to release just one song to represent an entire album, or relationship." It was released on April 14, 2023. [30]
"Favorite Kind of High" was released as the album's second single on May 19, 2023. [31]
"I Hate Love" featuring Steve Martin and "Red Flag Collector" were released as promotional singles on June 2 and 9, 2023. [16] [15]
Two days before the album was released, "Lighthouse" was released as the third promotional single on June 21, 2023 [32] before being released as the album's third single as a double-A-side on vinyl along with "I Won't Give Up" on March 1, 2024. [33] [2]
Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 70/100 [1] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [34] |
i | [35] |
The Line of Best Fit | 7/10 [36] |
Metro | [37] |
MusicOMH | [38] |
PopMatters | 7/10 [39] |
Slant Magazine | [40] |
Chemistry was met with positive reviews from critics, who praised Clarkson's voice and the album's emotional and sonic dexterity. On review aggregator Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, chemistry received a score of 70 out of 100 based on seven reviews.
Critics praised the personal nature of chemistry, with Hanif Abdurraqib of The New Yorker writing that the album "successfully preserves the aura of interpersonal intimacy that Clarkson has cultivated with audiences for two decades" with Clarkson at times "sing[ing] in a torrential flow, like a person who has held her frustrations and aches inside for too long." [41] Ilana Kaplan of Rolling Stone similarly wrote, "the record hinges on Clarkson's emotive vocals and soul-baring lyrics, turning Chemistry into her most vulnerable project since My December ." [42]
Lindsay Zoladz of The New York Times praised Clarkson's vocals and highlighted the "wrenching, piano-driven torch song 'Lighthouse'" in particular, a song she described as "one of the album’s most impassioned vocal performances." [43]
Kate Solomon of i also praised the album's exploration of emotion and wrote, "Chemistry ripples with sadness even at its most upbeat moments. Clarkson has always been a master of the heartbroken power ballads but these feel more understated than her adolescent weepies. She's more restrained, more mature and more conflicted." [35] Lucy Norris of Metro wrote, "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." [37]
Chemistry debuted at number 6 on the Billboard 200 with 53,000 equivalent album units earned, of which 9,000 SEA units account for 11.25 million on-demand official streams and 43,000 albums sales, making it the top-selling physical album of the week. [44] It became Clarkson's ninth top-10 album in the United States. [45]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Skip This Part" | Halbert | 3:37 | |
2. | "Mine" |
|
| 3:11 |
3. | "High Road" |
|
| 3:19 |
4. | "Me" |
|
| 3:35 |
5. | "Down to You" |
| Shatkin | 3:09 |
6. | "Chemistry" |
|
| 2:30 |
7. | "Favorite Kind of High" |
| Shatkin | 2:55 |
8. | "Magic" |
| Shatkin | 3:15 |
9. | "Lighthouse" |
| Shatkin | 3:21 |
10. | "Rock Hudson" |
| Shatkin | 3:22 |
11. | "My Mistake" |
| Shatkin | 3:16 |
12. | "Red Flag Collector" |
| Halbert | 2:58 |
13. | "I Hate Love" (featuring Steve Martin) |
| Shatkin | 3:33 |
14. | "That's Right" (featuring Sheila E.) |
|
| 2:39 |
Total length: | 44:40 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
15. | "I Won't Give Up" |
| Shatkin | 3:28 |
16. | "Did You Know" |
| Shatkin | 3:09 |
17. | "You Don't Make Me Cry" (featuring River Rose) |
| Shatkin | 3:24 |
18. | "Goodbye" |
| Halbert | 3:17 |
19. | "Roses" |
| Shatkin | 3:33 |
20. | "Mine" (Live from the Belasco) |
| 3:22 | |
21. | "Favorite Kind of High" (David Guetta remix) |
| Shatkin | 2:33 |
22. | "Mine" (Ty Sunderland remix) |
| 4:01 | |
Total length: | 1:11:00 |
Vocals
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Weekly charts
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Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
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Various | June 23, 2023 | Atlantic | [56] |
Kelly Brianne, known professionally as Kelly Clarkson, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. She rose to fame after winning the first season of American Idol in 2002, which earned her a record deal with RCA Records. Her debut single, "A Moment Like This", topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and became the country's best-selling single of 2002. It was included on her debut studio album, Thankful (2003), which entered the Billboard 200 at number one, and also yielded the top-10 single "Miss Independent". Trying to reinvent her image, Clarkson parted ways with Idol management and shifted genres to pop rock for her second studio album, Breakaway (2004), one of the best-selling albums by a female artist. Supported by four US top-ten singles–the title track, "Since U Been Gone", "Behind These Hazel Eyes", and "Because of You" – Breakaway sold over 12 million copies worldwide and won two Grammy Awards.
American singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson has released ten studio albums, eight extended plays, one compilation album, one remix album, and 56 singles. In 2002, she won the inaugural season of the television competition American Idol and was immediately signed to a recording deal with 19 Recordings, and RCA Records. She made her chart debut in September 2002 with the double A-side single "Before Your Love"/"A Moment Like This", latter of which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart and eventually became the year's best-selling single in the United States. Her debut album, Thankful, was released in April 2003 and entered the US Billboard 200 chart at number one. Thankful produced the hit lead single "Miss Independent" and was certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
"Never Again" is a song recorded by American singer Kelly Clarkson for her third studio album, My December (2007). Clarkson co-wrote the song with Jimmy Messer, which was produced by American producer and musician David Kahne. Clarkson stated that the song was written as a counterpart to the songs from her second studio album, Breakaway (2004), and was almost removed because of its harsh lyrical nature. RCA Records serviced the song to mainstream radio in the United States on April 24, 2007, which was Clarkson's 25th birthday. "Never Again" features a stronger rock sound than Clarkson's previous releases, but maintains some pop undertones. It relies on strings, guitar riffs and drums and is centered on angry, abrasive lyrics.
Wrapped in Red is the sixth studio album by American singer Kelly Clarkson, released on October 25, 2013, by RCA Records. The album is a follow-up to her first greatest hits album, Greatest Hits – Chapter One, and its companion extended play, The Smoakstack Sessions Vol. 2. Produced by Greg Kurstin, it was her first Christmas album and her only record to be solely released by RCA. Wrapped in Red consists of sixteen tracks, featuring five original songs co-penned with Kurstin and eleven cover versions of Christmas standards and carols, two of which are duets featuring singers Ronnie Dunn, Reba McEntire and Trisha Yearwood.
Piece by Piece is the seventh studio album by American pop singer Kelly Clarkson. It was released on February 27, 2015, by RCA Records. It was her final album under her recording contract with the label, to which she signed after winning the first season of American Idol in 2002. She then made the switch to Atlantic in 2016. The album saw Clarkson reuniting with frequent collaborators Greg Kurstin, Jesse Shatkin, Jason Halbert, Eric Olson, and Chris DeStefano. She also gathered material from songwriters such as Sia, Matthew Koma, MoZella, Bonnie McKee, David Jost, Semi Precious Weapons lead singer Justin Tranter, and former Cobra Starship member Ryland Blackinton, among others. Inspired by the orchestral production on Wrapped in Red, Clarkson wanted all the songs on Piece by Piece to resonate like its own film soundtrack, taking a cue from the soundtracks of the feature motion pictures Cruel Intentions (1999) and Love Actually (2003) and commissioning orchestral arrangements by Joseph Trapanese.
"Invincible" is a song by American singer Kelly Clarkson from her seventh studio album, Piece by Piece (2015). It was written by Sia, Jesse Shatkin, Steve Mostyn, and Warren "Oak" Felder. Produced by Shatkin, the track is an anthem about self-empowerment. "Invincible" features uncredited vocals from Sia, as well as string arrangements by Oliver Kraus. It was first released as the first promotional single from Piece by Piece on February 23, 2015, but then issued as the album's second single to Hot Adult Contemporary radio stations on May 18, 2015 through RCA Records.
"Piece by Piece" is a song written by American singer Kelly Clarkson taken from her seventh studio album of the same name. She co-wrote the track with songwriter Jennifer Garduno and with producer Greg Kurstin. A midtempo pop song about restoring someone's faith in love and family relationships, Clarkson promulgated "Piece by Piece" as a sequel to the song "Because of You" (2004) but with a "happy ending". After a discussion with her sister about their family life, she introspectively co-wrote the song in a first-person narrative to her father, whose neglect of his family was used as a juxtaposition to her then-husband Brandon Blackstock's unconditional love for her and their daughter, whom they both promised to never abandon.
Meaning of Life is the eighth studio album by American pop singer Kelly Clarkson. It was released on October 27, 2017, by Atlantic Records. Executive produced by Clarkson and Craig Kallman, the album is her debut release for the label after completing her recording contract and leaving previous label, RCA Records, which she had signed after winning the first season of American Idol. Weary of the structure of the previous record deal where she was strictly limited to releasing pop music, Clarkson wanted to pursue a different genre—soul and R&B music, which she had previously wanted to make and had only finally found the opportunity to do so after being signed by Kallman to the label.
"Whole Lotta Woman" is a song performed by American singer Kelly Clarkson from her eighth studio album Meaning of Life (2017). It is co-written by Clarkson and its producers—Jussifer, NOVA Wav duo Denisia Andrews and Brittany Coney, Fade Majah, and Jesse Shatkin. A soul anthem about female empowerment, the singer declares herself as a "whole lotta woman" and challenges men to "accept it or walk away". Songwriters put a "fun twist" in the lyrics to allude to the size of Clarkson's waistline, her attitude, her self-worth, and her mouth. Members of the American soul band Earth, Wind & Fire, led by bass player Verdine White, are featured in the song.
"Heat" is a song by American singer Kelly Clarkson, from her eighth studio album, Meaning of Life (2017). Originally written and produced by the production duo The Monarch, the final version of the track is co-written and co-produced by Mick Schultz with additional writing by Michael Pollack and production by American singer Harlœ and vocal production by Jesse Shatkin. Atlantic Records released the song as the album's third single on July 27, 2018, with a remix version by British DJ Luke Solomon. It reached number one on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in March 2019. The song was featured in the Netflix show Soundtrack.
"Christmas Eve" is a song by American singer Kelly Clarkson. Written by Clarkson with Jason Halbert, who produced it, it is a Christmas-themed song about witnessing the festive joys of the Christmas season, primarily on Christmas Eve. Released as a companion track to Clarkson's children's book River Rose and the Magical Christmas, it was later issued as a single by Atlantic Records on November 30, 2017. The song is included on Clarkson's second Christmas album When Christmas Comes Around... (2021).
"I Dare You" is a song by American singer Kelly Clarkson. Produced and written by Jesse Shatkin, with additional writing by Natalie Hemby, Laura Veltz, Ben West, and Jeff "Gitty" Gitelman, it was released as a stand-alone single by Atlantic Records on April 16, 2020. Unlike her previous records, its single release includes multiple versions of the song recorded in several languages as a duet featuring various recording artists—such as French singer Zaz, Canadian-Moroccan singer Faouzia for the Moroccan Arabic version, Spanish singer Blas Cantó, German musical duo Glasperlenspiel, Israeli singer Maya Bouskilla for the Hebrew version, and the American Deaf West Theatre for the American Sign Language version. The Hebrew version reached number one in Israel.
"Under the Mistletoe" is a duet by American singers Kelly Clarkson and Brett Eldredge. It was written by Clarkson and Aben Eubanks, who co-produced it with Jesse Shatkin. "Under the Mistletoe" was first issued by Atlantic Records on October 28, 2020. The song is also included on Clarkson's second Christmas album When Christmas Comes Around... (2021).
"Christmas Isn't Canceled (Just You)" is a song by American singer Kelly Clarkson from her ninth studio album and second Christmas album, When Christmas Comes Around... (2021). Produced by Jason Halbert and Joseph Trapanese, it was released as album's lead single by Atlantic Records on September 23, 2021.
When Christmas Comes Around... is the ninth studio album by American singer Kelly Clarkson, released through Atlantic Records on October 15, 2021, nearly four years after her eighth album Meaning of Life (2017). Produced by Jesse Shatkin, Jason Halbert, Joseph Trapanese and Aben Eubanks, it is her second Christmas album after Wrapped in Red (2013). Featuring cover versions of Christmas songs, as well as original co-penned tracks and duets with Chris Stapleton, Ariana Grande and Brett Eldredge, its release was preceded by the singles "Christmas Isn't Canceled " and "Santa, Can't You Hear Me". It also includes previously released singles "Christmas Eve", "All I Want for Christmas Is You", and "Under the Mistletoe" as bonus tracks. The album was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.
"Santa, Can't You Hear Me" is a duet by American singers Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande. It is the second single from Clarkson's ninth studio album and second Christmas album, When Christmas Comes Around... (2021). The song was written by Clarkson with Aben Eubanks, with the song's track recording was produced by Jason Halbert.
"Glow" is a duet by American singer-songwriters Kelly Clarkson and Chris Stapleton from her ninth studio album and second Christmas album, When Christmas Comes Around... (2021). Written by Clarkson, Danja, Jason Halbert, Hayley Warner, and Jesse Thomas, it was released a promotional single by Atlantic Records on October 15, 2021.
"Mine" is a song by American pop recording artist Kelly Clarkson, from her tenth studio album, Chemistry (2023). Accompanied with "Me", it was released on April 14, 2023, by Atlantic Records as the lead double A-side single. It was written by Clarkson, Eric Serna, Jesse Shatkin, and produced by Serna and Shatkin.
"Me" is a song by American pop recording artist Kelly Clarkson, from her tenth studio album, Chemistry (2023). Accompanied with "Mine", it was released on April 14, 2023, by Atlantic Records as the lead double A-side single. It was written by Clarkson, Gayle, and Josh Ronen with production by Jason Halbert and Jesse Shatkin.
"Favorite Kind of High" is a song by American pop recording artist Kelly Clarkson. It was released on May 19, 2023, by Atlantic Records as the second single from her tenth studio album, Chemistry (2023). It was written by Clarkson, Carly Rae Jepsen and Jesse Shatkin with production by the latter. The music video was filmed during Clarkson's show at the Belasco Theatre on April 24, 2023. The David Guetta remix version of the song was released on May 24, 2023.