In 2002,Kelly Clarksonmade history by becoming thefirst winner ofAmerican Idol, and she has never looked back. Straight fromAmerican Idol,Clarkson released her debut studio album,Thankful,in 2003, which featured the hit song “Miss Independent.” As big as the track became,it was what she released next on her sophomore album that helped skyrocket her career.
Of course, it’s the remarkable tracks that make up a great record, and sometimes thosehit songs happen by chance as another artist turns them down. For Kelly Clarkson, finding a track another artist turned down didn’t happen once, but twice. The title track for the albumBreakawayended up being given to her by Avril Lavigne. The luck didn’t stop there, though.
The top song from the album, and arguablyClarkson’s biggest song ever, “Since U Been Gone,” also found its way to her.What’s even crazier is that the song was passed on not only once but twice by two very prominent artists. If not for this, the song would never have originally been Clarkson’s, but thankfully it was, and she has made the most of two monumental rejections.
“Since U Been Gone” Was Written For Pink
Songs Find The Right Home
Well-knownAmerican producer Lukasz Gottwald “Dr. Luke” and Swedish songwriter Max Martin collaborated to write the hit song, “Since U Been Gone.” Originally, the two wrote the song with P!nk in mind. When you listen to this song, you may see that her voice would fit it well. P!nk was one of the hottest up-and-coming artists in the early 2000s with hits such as “Just Like a Pill” and “Get the Party Started.” However, their dreams were shattered when she turned it down, and the song had to continue to be shopped around.
Their dreams were shattered when she turned it down, and the song had to continue to be shopped around.
P!nk didn’t appear bothered by turning the song down when she appeared onWatch What Happensand said,“No, because listen to Kelly Clarkson sing it. Songs find their home.“It could have been easy for P!nk to be upset, as the song is now certified platinum and has become Clarkson’s biggest song ever with over 800 million streams on Spotify, but that was not the case. The interesting part is, when she said songs find their home,this particular track still didn’t go straight to Clarkson. There was one more home the song explored.
Hilary Duff Turned down “Since U Been Gone” For A Very Specific Reason
Those High Notes Are No Joke
After P!nk turned the song down, the next artist it went to was Hilary Duff. During this time, Duff was the star of the hit Disney Channel showLizzie McGuire. She also starred in the popular movieCheaper by the Dozenalongside Steve Martin, and had released multiple albums that performed well on theBillboardcharts, including the 4x platinumMetamorphosis.However, when given “Since U Been Gone,” the song was reportedly too challenging for Duff, andit was said she struggled to hit the high notes at the time.
It was after a second failed attempt to land an artist that the song finally ended up with Kelly Clarkson. However, even Clarkson had some adjustments to make. The original mix of the track was more pop-oriented than what would eventually be released.It was Clarkson who insisted that the song have more of a rock vibe, which is why the heavier guitars and harder drums were added. What Clarkson did worked, as it even caught the attention of rock band A Day to Remember, who covered the song on their 2007For Those Who Have Heartalbum.
Kelly Clarkson Gets Hollywood Walk Of Fame Star
American Idol season 1 champion Kelly Clarkson earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, joining former judge Simon Cowell and many other stars.
There’s no doubt that P!nk was right about songs finding their home. “Since U Been Gone” is synonymous with Kelly Clarkson and has played a major role in her success. Of course, she has gone on to release many more hits, but her 2004 release may be the one she is most remembered for.
However, it is not her favorite song in her own discography. Instead, that honor goes to “Someone”, which, ironically, waswritten by Hilary Duff’s husband Matthew Koma. Either way, “Since U Been Gone” is historic and helps tell the story ofAmerican IdolwinnerKelly Clarkson, who now has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and her own daytime talk show.
