Add to the list of things we unrepentantly love about Kelly Clarkson: She has no time for anybody else’s bullshit — even a legendary executive like Clive Davis, with whom the chanteuse has had a notoriously fraught relationship.
So it probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that Clarkson took to Twitter today to share a letter with her fans “clearing up” some perceived inaccuracies in Davis’ recent memoir, which hit shelves today; with a candor that’s refreshing (even if it’s unwise), she unapologetically throws him under the bus, claiming that he told her that she was “a sh*tty writer” and disparaging her mostly self-penned album My December.
But it’s not a pity party! At the end, Clarkson notes that she’s thankful (hey-o!) for the lessons he taught her, even if they were painful: “Anyway, I love my job. I love my music. I love my fans. I love my label and all of my professional relationships… now. And I am grateful for Clive for teaching me to know the difference.”
Whether Clarkson’s experience of the truth is accurate or not (although we’re very inclined to believe that it is), it’s hard not to admire such a ballsy move. Read the full open letter, and revel in the glory of Clarkson’s brazen fearlessness.
[via WhoSay]
I understand that Clive is a business man and everyone knows the business side of the music industry is a sleazy business, only out for money and “pop hits” to quote Clive, but does he have to be such an asshole about it?
It seems most of his argument is about Kelly’s “independent streak”, as he put it in his book, more specifically centered around the making of My December (so apparently he is *still bitter about that).
I could care less if he doesn’t like Kelly but when he calls someone who wrote songs like Irvine and Maybe and Because of You a “sh*tty writer who should be grateful for the gifts he bestows upon her” it isn’t just a slap in the face to Kelly, it’s a slap in the face to every person who has heard any of her songs and felt like someone finally understood them and knew what they were going through.
Clive Davis is a jaded, cold-hearted, self-indulgent, self-centered, egotistical old man with a raging God complex.
This girl MADE talent competitions as far as I’m concerned Her first single was the years biggest song Her 2nd album was a WORLDWIDE hit with killer performances of Since U Been Gone that I still remember all around the world.
Tons of awards and Grammys (HELLO!!!) She writes on her own music for the most part, can sing LIVE, sang for the president and the POPE. Yeah she’s pretty terrible…..Maybe Clive would like her if she had pink hair and did a remix with Nicki Minaj.
Clive Davis was once someone who could get you blacklisted from the industry if you crossed him. Kelly is at such a level of power that she can take on Clive & not fear him. Begone Clive Davis, you have no power here.
He’s quite vile. He is the exact definition of that shady LA executive that promises a new life, whilst shoving the contract & pen in your hand to sign the dotted line without reading anything. Let’s just host a party in the same place a supposed friend, Whitney, died just hours earlier.
Team Kelly. She is just all class. There is no artist like her in this industry.
Clive should have let Kelly have her self penned songs on my December! Every pop album doesn’t always have to have floods of 18-19 producers and outside songwriters on their album. It wasn’t fair to Kelly and I’m sure it’s painful to her to this day! He will always be a legendary record executive, but I still don’t like how he treated Kelly for that album project in 2007! I really think that her recent Grammy win for her Stronger album upstaged Clive and even his book release! She doesn’t hold back! She makes her own rules now!