Kelly Clarkson Reveals Iconic Inspiration Behind Her New Music

Kelly Clarkson drew inspiration from another pop icon when it came to her upcoming single “I’d Be Lyin’”. On July 13, the former TV host exclusively streamed the song on her SiriusXM channel “The Kelly Clarkson Connection” while admitting she took pop cues from none other than Prince when it came to the new track. The song is set to drop this Friday, July 17. 

Clarkson admitted, “The vibe in the verse is… it’s not like Prince, but it’s definitely Prince-inspired with the staccato kind of poppiness of it.” 

This isn’t the first time Clarkson has honored the late singer. Clarkson previously covered some of Prince’s biggest hits, singing a rendition of “1999” during a 2023 episode of her talk show, and belting out “Purple Rain” during a 2015 stop at Prince’s hometown of St. Paul, MN. 

The singer went on to talk about the meaning behind the track, “‘I’d Be Lyin’ is about when you’re talking to someone and it’s like, what you’re saying is somehow being filtered because it’s not what they’re hearing. And if I just leaned in and just said what they wanted to hear, I would be lying.”

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Clarkson’s Long-Awaited Music Comeback

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This is Kelly Clarkson’s first new music in over a year since she debuted “Where Have You Been” in May 2025, which followed her last studio album “Chemistry” in 2023.

Clarkson won the original season of American Idol in 2002, and has enjoyed a successful career since. She holds 3 No. 1 Billboard hits: “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You),” “My Life Would Suck Without You,” and “A Moment Like This.”

In addition to dropping her new single, Clarkson will also be kicking off her Las Vegas residency at the Ceasars Palace Colosseum on July 18. 

Clarkson continued on her radio show that she was getting back to her “empowerment anthem” roots, calling the song “a lot of attitude, and then the chorus kind of opens up into this major pop-rock vibe.” 

Ahead of the exclusive drop yesterday, Clarkson previously teased a snippet of the song on her Instagram last week. 

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Another TV Chapter

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This single marks a big career update from Clarkson, whose talk show came to an end last month after 7 years. After the show’s successful run, Clarkson admitted she was stepping away to focus on her kids. 

However, the star noted that she’d be returning not just to music, but to TV as well. 

In May, the singer was announced as a returning judge for season 30 of “The Voice,” according to Variety. Clarkson has been a longtime staple of the singing competition, appearing as early as season 2 as an advisor alongside judge Blake Shelton. Season 30 will mark her 11th season as a judge.