JOY FEELINGS MAGAZINE January 2016 issue | Page 5

KELLY CLARKSON has never achieved the cultural relevance of
would-be peers like Beyoncé or Katy Perry, but the 32-yearold American Idol alum was an indisputably dominant force at her mid2000s commercial peak. With her sixth studio album, Piece by Piece,
Clarkson looks to recapture the form that led to four straight top 10 hits
(all from 2004 sophomore slam Breakaway) a decade ago -- and
occasionally exceeds it.

Clarkson's discography lacks a real stylistic through line. Instead, it
always has been characterized by her vocal strength and versatility -few bells and whistles are needed to convey just how powerful her
instrument can be, and her best singles appeal to both pop cognoscenti
and more casual, radio-centric listeners. By avoiding gimmickry she has
emphasized her musicianship, but also rendered much of her music
homogeneous: Most of her LPs (save perhaps 2007's rebellious, noble
failure My December) blend together in one formless zone. Piece by
Piece doesn't disrupt that similitude, but it gleams with the
Joy feelings mag

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