Kelly Clarkson shares starting her own record label to put out her "own stuff"

Kelly Clarkson revealed why she started her record label and opened up about why it has been a challenge for her. During the episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show on Wednesday, January 22, the singer and talk show host was joined by actor-musician Keke Palmer.

When their conversation ventured into Palmer's musical group DivaGurl, Palmer mentioned that she has had her own label for "six or seven years".

Impressed, Clarkson then announced that she, too, had started her record label, but only recently. She said:

"I'm so much older than you... and it's my first time in my career and I just now started my own label and I'm putting out my own stuff."

She added:

"I've had some good team, like, to work with, but there is nothing like being that 10-year-old again and being excited and nobody is saying, 'Oh, you would do this' and 'You should do this."

Kelly Clarkson was initially signed with RCA after winning the first season of American Idol in 2002. She then signed with Atlantic Records in 2016. She has since released albums like Meaning of Life, When Christmas Comes Around, and her latest, which was released in 2023, Chemistry.

She has spoken about clashes with RCA over work environment and creative differences. In 2015, she told The Guardian about what she had to do to release Miss Independent. She said:

"With 'Miss Independent,' I had to cry in my label's office to get it out [as a single]."

In 2016, she appeared on Australia’s Kyle and Jackie O Show and expressed support for singer Kesha who had accused music producer Dr. Luke of s*xual assault and emotional abuse. Clarkson then shared that RCA "blackmailed" her into working with Dr Luke and said:

"I only worked with him because I got blackmailed by my label. They were like, ‘we will not put your album out if you don’t do this.’”

---

Kelly Clarkson opens up about the struggle and excitement of starting her own record label

Elsewhere on the January 22 episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, guest Keke Palmer said that "people don't know how hard it is" to start and run a successful record label. Clarkson agreed, sharing her own experiences in her label, saying:

"Girl, I'm finding out. I'm putting together a music video, and I'm like, 'Wait, I forgot to do what?'"

They also talked about how it could be expensive to be an independent artist but maintained that the struggles are worth the reward. Palmer also opened up about feeling like she had to be someone else when working with a label, to which The Kelly Clarkson Show host agreed.

The talk show host then shared more about her experience with running her label, saying:

"I just now started it. I started writing, and I was like, how do I put this out now?' And then, I was like, 'Well, I guess through me.'"

Despite some hiccups, Kelly Clarkson admitted that it's been an exciting venture. It was something that she "earned," saying:

"I feel like I've earned it, so I'm excited. I think I've earned the moment."

---

According to People, Kelly Clarkson is still on the roster of Atlantic Record's artists on their website. Their representative has not yet announced parting ways with the singer or commented about her still unnamed record label.