The Kelly Clarkson we've known and loved has matured—and so has her music. The Grammy award-winning artist's newest album Piece by Piece diverges from the rock vibe her albums have traditionally radiated. Developing this album during her pregnancy and after her recent marriage, Clarkson—known for her rock-smashes such as "Since U Been Gone" and "Miss Independent"—moves away from powerful anthems about a confused and heart-wrenching love to songs with more reflective lyrics. The beginning of this transition was well-noted in her previous album Stronger which features a song of self-empowerment with the same title.
Her first single off of Piece by Piece, "Heartbeat Song," is constructed in a typical style: a catchy hook, an electric guitar lingering in the background, a display of Clarkson's range. This first song not only offers long-time fans something familiar, but also introduces listeners to a heavier use of synth and electric beats than usual.
Written by Sia, Clarkson's song "Invincible" continues the trend of self-empowerment songs. Sia's ceiling-scratching notes are prevalent throughout, yet something about the pace and the cadence of the lyrics makes the song seem as if it came out of a Disney film, leaving something to be desired.
The remainder of the album shifts to more introspective and thoughtful songs (to the extent the popular music is introspective or thoughtful). The song "Someone" features odd, whispery singing and an escalation to higher octaves, much like a Katy Perry single. Clarkson adds a techno-heavy song "Take You High" that electronically breaks her voice in a way that after the first few runs of the chorus, becomes quite irritable—but if that's your cup of tea, drink up.
An aspect of the album that truly resonates with me is Clarkson's more sentimental pieces. The song which is the namesake of the album has a delightful melody that conveys how Clarkson's new hubby and his love for their child has allowed her to regain trust in fatherhood after a falling-out with her own father. The song "Tightrope" with its lurching rhythm and delicately climbing melody creates an ethereal, soul-touching, eat-a-tub-of-Ben-and-Jerry's-while-sobbing type of song. "Run Run Run," a duet with John Legend, is a very soulful and chilling ballad that fleshes out the more delicate and technically talented nuances of her voice. After noting that few people like Legend were willing to collaborate with her, Clarkson managed to show the rest of the industry what it has been missing out on.
Melodies such as "Dance with Me" and "Nostalgic" are clearly inspired from retro 80s and 90s dance anthems. These tracks at the end of the album are a beautiful integration of electronic chords and the vibrancy listeners have come to expect from Kelly Clarkson.
What Piece by Piece succeeds in is controlling Clarkson's powerful glass-shattering vocals to only certain instances within a few songs. While this album has its fair-share of pop anthems, the beauty in this album is found in the more vulnerable moments—where Clarkson's voice is raw and purposely emotional. This eclectic fusion of pop, electronic and piano presents audiences with a different voice: a more confident and emotionally mature Clarkson.
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