The Rise & Fall of American Idol #1: Kelly Clarkson - "Stronger" (What Doesn't Kill You)

Anyone else remember Kelly Clarkson? "Miss Independent"'s career, since winning American Idol (Season 1) has fluctuated almost as readily as her weight over the past 10 or so years. But I really do think that Kelly Clarkson is a beautiful, shapely woman who has an amazing, far-reaching set of pipes! Her soprano abilities have allowed her to maintain a [Pop] Rock edge, while still managing to release Country-tinged Ballads, akin to her Lone Star State roots. I must admit that I've paid fairly close attention to Clarkson's brief, yet productive career and have thoroughly enjoyed singles like "Since U Been Gone" (2004) and "Walk Away" (2006). Kelly Clarkson somehow has the ability to write infectious, meaningful Pop songs that manage to reach a shit-load of people; Sometimes even those who don't generally enjoy that sort of thing, like yours truly.

The title track and second single from her latest album, Stronger... her fifth album, to be exact, which was released way back on October 21, 2011... is also pretty great, if you ask me! Since it's initial release, "Stronger" has become Kelly Clarkson's third #1 single, effectively making her the first artist to top nearly all of Billboard's Hot 100 charts: Dance/Club Play Songs, Country Songs, Adult Contemporary, and Adult Pop Songs. The companion Shane Drake-directed music video for "Stronger" (What Doesn't Kill You) progressively builds and becomes more "complicated" along with the track's structure. But it's essentially a performance-based video inter-spliced with with scenes of Clarkson fans performing a choreographed dance routine. Kelly Clarkson watches various clips in some sort of control room and in it's final scenes, features Clarkson dancing along with with her rhythmically-talented flash mob.

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