Jump to content

Meaning of Life (album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 213.205.198.247 (talk) at 05:52, 8 September 2017. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Untitled

Meaning of Life is the upcoming eighth studio album by American recording artist Kelly Clarkson, scheduled to be released on October 27, 2017, by Atlantic Records. The album is her debut release from Atlantic after successfully completing her recording contract with RCA Records which she had won as the first American Idol winner. The album was preceded by the dual release of the singles "Love So Soft" and "Move You" on September 7, 2017.[1][2][3]

Background

After reissuing her seventh studio album, Piece by Piece, along with its companion remix album in 2016, Clarkson successfully completed the terms of her recording contract with RCA Records and 19 Recordings which she had signed as a winning prize after winning the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002.[4][5] As opposed to the previous contract structure where 19 will hold the phonographic rights to the master recordings, RCA executives Peter Edge and Tom Corson revealed their intentions to sign Clarkson directly to the label without 19's involvement. Their renewal offer would include a three-album deal with a US$1 million advance per album,[4] in contrast to the six-album limit from the previous contract with a US$500,000 incentive per record.[6] Corson also admitted that her relationship with Sony Music executive Clive Davis might prove to be a nuance to the offer.[5]

Despite remarking that her structure with Edge and Corson on the label proved to be successful,[7] Clarkson had second thoughts about renewing the contract, which she recalled as an "arranged marriage".[8] As result, her management brokered a meeting with Atlantic Records executives Craig Kallman and Julie Greenwald along with Warner Music Nashville executive John Esposito, who in turn offered her a long-term worldwide deal with a larger creative freedom.[9][10] On June 24, 2016, Warner Music Group announced that Clarkson had signed a long-term worldwide recording contract with Atlantic and will immediately work on a soul and R&B album set to be released the following year.[8] The move to Atlantic also reunited her with Pete Ganbarg, who had previously did A&R work for her fourth studio album All I Ever Wanted (2009).[10]

Recording and production

Three of Clarkson's producers from Piece by Piece were confirmed to return to Meaning of Life: Greg Kurstin, Jason Halbert, and Jesse Shatkin, whereas first-time collaborators include The Monarch, Nick Ruth, and Mick Schultz.[11] Deviating from the predominant pop rock sound of her previous releases, Clarkson wanted to approach a different genre—soul and R&B music.[12] She revealed that she had previously wanted to record these type of songs, but had never found an opportunity to do so. She found out that Kallman was "dying (sic) to make this record" with her and has counted on his full support.[12] Clarkson compared the new material as reminiscent of the songs she had performed during her tenure on American Idol, and remarked that the album is a "new and fresh thing" for her and made her feel like a "brand new artist again".[12]

To avoid material similar to that of Stronger (2011), Clarkson met with various songwriters and showcased several soulful tracks to them to demonstrate the album's direction.[13][14] She remarked that meeting with various writing camps was a "different creative process", as her family life had hindered opportunities for her to write material on her own,[14][13] but still made efforts to do so, drawing inspirations from media such as the novel Big Little Lies (2014).[12] Several songwriters, including Ali Tamposi, Mozella, Harlœ, Diztortion, and Warren "Oak" Felder have all confirmed to have submitted material to Clarkson in Nashville.[15][16][17][18][19]

Release and promotion

Meaning of Life is set to be released by Atlantic and its parent label Warner Music Group on October 27, 2017.[11] Originally scheduled to be issued on June 2017, the release date was pushed back to the year's fall season.[20] On September 6, 2017, Kallman, Greenwald and Warner Music CEO Max Lousada presented Clarkson where she performed six selections the album at the Rainbow Room in New York City.[21] "Love So Soft" was issued as the album's lead single alongside "Move You" on September 7, 2017.[2][3] Clarkson is scheduled to premiere both songs on live television at The Today Show the following day, followed by a performance of the "Move You" at the television special EIF Presents: XQ Super School Live the same evening.[21][22]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
2."Love So Soft"
Shatkin2:52
5."Move You"
Nick Ruth3:22

Confirmed songs

  • "Meaning of Life"[21]
  • "Whole Lotta Woman"[21]

Release history

List of regions, release dates, showing formats, labels and references
Region Date Formats Label Ref.
Worldwide October 27, 2017
Atlantic [23]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Kelly Clarkson is back with two huge new singles 'Love So Soft' and 'Move You'". MTV. Viacom International Media Networks. September 7, 2017. Retrieved September 7, 2017. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  2. ^ a b McIntyre, Hugh (September 7, 2017). "Kelly Clarkson Reappears With A Pair Of New Singles, 'Love So Soft' And 'Move You'". Forbes. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  3. ^ a b Cook-Wilson, Winston (September 7, 2017). "Kelly Clarkson Releases Singles "Love So Soft" and "Move You", Announces New Album Meaning of Life". Spin. Eldridge Industries. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  4. ^ a b Farrell, David (March 8, 2016). "On the Charts this week". FYI Music News. Retrieved September 5, 2017. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  5. ^ a b Aswad, Jem (August 28, 2015). "RCA Chiefs Peter Edge and Tom Corson on Signing Zayn Malik and Enrique Iglesias — and Being Blissfully Unaware of Miley Cyrus' VMA Plans". Billboard. Billboard-The Hollywood Reporter Group. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  6. ^ Newman, Melissa (April 3, 2015). "Now Free From Her 'Idol' Contract, What's Kelly Clarkson Worth?". Billboard. Billboard-The Hollywood Reporter Group. Archived from the original on April 7, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  7. ^ Polanco, Luis (March 8, 2016). "Kelly Clarkson Has No Problem With Her Current RCA Team, Despite 'Blackmail' Remark". Billboard. Billboard-The Hollywood Reporter Group. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  8. ^ a b "Kelly Clarkson Signs Worldwide Deal with Atlantic Records" (Press release). New York: Warner Music Group. June 24, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  9. ^ Billboard Staff (July 28, 2015). "Billboard's 2016 Nashville Power Players List Revealed: Who Rules Music City?". Billboard. Billboard-The Hollywood Reporter Group. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  10. ^ a b Friedman, Roger (June 24, 2016). "Kelly Clarkson Jumps to Atlantic Records, Finally Reunited with Her Original Producer". Showbiz 411. Retrieved September 5, 2017. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  11. ^ a b Blistein, Jon (September 7, 2017). "Hear Kelly Clarkson's Galvanic New Songs 'Love So Soft,' 'Move You'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  12. ^ a b c d Biedenharn, Isabella (September 30, 2016). "Kelly Clarkson on her soul album: 'I've wanted to make this record since I was in junior high'". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  13. ^ a b Nelson, Jeff (September 30, 2016). "Kelly Clarkson Says Her Next Album Will Not Be 'Stronger 2.0': 'I Get to Really Sing on It'". People. Time Inc. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  14. ^ a b Dresdale, Andrea (October 14, 2016). "Kelly Clarkson Says Recording Soulful New Album Is "Effortless"". ABC News. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  15. ^ Kawashima, Dale (March 31, 2017). "Pop Songwriter Ali Tamposi Co-Writes The Hits "Let Me Love You" (DJ Snake & Justin Bieber) and "It Ain't Me" (Kygo & Selena Gomez)". Songwriter Universe. Retrieved September 5, 2017. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  16. ^ Kawashima, Dale (April 6, 2016). "Interview with Mozella, Hit Pop Songwriter For Charlie Puth, Miley Cyrus And One Direction". Songwriter Universe. Retrieved September 5, 2017. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  17. ^ Brungardt, Leah (July 12, 2017). "An Interview With The Talented Singer-Songwriter Harlœ!". All Access Music Group. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  18. ^ "Diztortion". Urban World. United Kingdom: Ur. January 20, 2017. Retrieved September 5, 2017. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  19. ^ Mitchell, Gail (May 23, 2017). "Producer Oak Felder Talks Kelly Clarkson, Khalid and More: 'I Love That I Can Fly Under the Radar'". Billboard. Billboard-The Hollywood Reporter Group. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  20. ^ Clott Kanter, Sharon (November 8, 2016). "Kelly Clarkson Plans to Release New Single in April and Album in June: 'We Have a Good Batch of Songs Already'". People. Time Inc. Archived from the original on November 8, 2016. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  21. ^ a b c d Aswad, Jem (September 7, 2017). "Kelly Clarkson Premieres New Album, 'Meaning of Life,' at Intimate New York Concert". Variety. PMC. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  22. ^ King, Eric (September 7, 2016). "Justin Timberlake, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Ringo Starr join XQ Super School Live lineup". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  23. ^ Various citations concerning the October 27, 2017, release of Meaning of Life:
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Meaning_of_Life_(album)&oldid=799519316"