Kelly Clarkson has been so busy for the past five years — between The Kelly Clarkson Show, The Voice, American Song Contest, a Christmas album, and her recent Kellyoke EP as well as her ongoing divorce and ranch-occupancy drama — that we’d give her a pass for not releasing another studio album. But on top of everything else, she actually did make a whole new album. Clarkson revealed the news to Variety, saying she already recorded the album and had been working on it for two years, largely spurred by her breakaway from former manager Brandon Blackstock. “I told my label, ‘I can’t talk about this until I’ve gone through it,’ and it’s just taken some time to do that,†she said, adding that she initially didn’t know if she wanted to release the album. “Some of the songs, they definitely cover the gamut of emotions; there’s everything on the album.†The gamut of emotions from the woman who gave us “Since U Been Gone†and “Because of You.â€
The as-yet-untitled album (unfortunately, Miss Independent is already taken) is set to be released sometime in 2023, following Clarkson’s 2017 album, Meaning of Life. And yes, Clarkson plans to find more time in that busy, busy schedule to tour. “When you write an album that’s so personal, it’s just therapeutic to be able to get up there,†she said. Oh, and on top of it all, she is already eyeing her return to The Voice (saying she “definitely†“probably†“might†come back) and also wants to take her talents to Broadway at some point. Hopefully she finds some time to catch her breath between all of that.