Jump to content

Kelly Clarkson fires back at Clive Davis in open letter


SloLove

Recommended Posts

http://www.whosay.com/kellyclarkson/content/515466?wsref=fb&code=cci5cY6

February 19, 2013Hey y'all,

So I just heard Clive Davis is releasing a memoir and spreading false information about me and my music. I refuse to be bullied and I just have to clear up his memory lapses and misinformation for myself and for my fans. It feels like a violation. Growing up is awesome because you learn you don't have to cower to anyone - even Clive Davis.

First, he says I burst into "hysterical sobbing" in his office when he demanded Since You Been Gone be on my album. Not true at all. His stories and songs are mixed up. I did want more guitars added to the original demo and Clive did not. Max, Luke and I still fought for the bigger sound and we prevailed and I couldn't be more proud of the life of that song. I resent him dampening that song in any way.

But, yes, I did cry in his office once. I cried after I played him a song I had written about my life called "Because Of You." I cried because he hated it and told me verbatim that I was a "sh*tty writer who should be grateful for the gifts that he bestows upon me." He continued on about how the song didn't rhyme and how I should just shut up and sing. This was devastating coming from a man who I, as a young girl, considered a musical hero and was so honored to work with.

But I continued to fight for the song and the label relented. And it became a worldwide hit. He didn't include that in the book.

He also goes on to say My December wasn't successful because I co-penned the album and it didn't have "pop hits". Well, first let me say, I've co-penned many of my "pop hits." Secondly, My December went platinum (It sold 20,000 less than All I Ever Wanted which followed My December.) Hardly a huge failure. Never Again, the ONLY single they released in the US from that record was a Top 10 hit. I am very proud of that and I have my fans to thank. But, again, what's most interesting about his story is what he leaves out: He doesn't mention how he stood up in front of his company at a convention and belittled me and my music and completely sabotaged the entire project. It never had a chance to reach it's full potential. My December was an album I needed to make for myself for many reasons and the fact that I was so completely disregarded and disrespected was so disheartening, there really aren't words to explain….

Anyway, I love my job. I love my music. I love my fans. I love my label and all of my professional relationships… now. And I am grateful for Clive for teaching me to know the difference.

Cheers to another amazing year! And, as always, thanks for listening!

KC

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Same issues Janet was having with L.A...these record execs need to be checked!

The problem is that these labels expect their artists to have no say when it comes to the music they want them to make. The industry is all about singles and changed A LOT, artists having the freedom to write about what they want is a rare thing these days.

Indie artists stay winning

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The problem is that these labels expect their artists to have no say when it comes to the music they want them to make. The industry is all about singles and changed A LOT, artists having the freedom to write about what they want is a rare thing these days.

Indie artists stay winning

they can probably get away with that with new artist who are just dying to break into the industry...or even the ones trying to make comebacks...but for the ones that are already establised or who aent afraid to stick to their guts...they are ready to cut them a check to leave making them feel like without me you wont make it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

they can probably get away with that with new artist who are just dying to break into the industry...or even the ones trying to make comebacks...but for the ones that are already establised or who aent afraid to stick to their guts...they are ready to cut them a check to leave making them feel like without me you wont make it

Yeap.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But, yes, I did cry in his office once. I cried after I played him a song I had written about my life called "Because Of You." I cried because he hated it and told me verbatim that I was a "sh*tty writer who should be grateful for the gifts that he bestows upon me." He continued on about how the song didn't rhyme and how I should just shut up and sing. This was devastating coming from a man who I, as a young girl, considered a musical hero and was so honored to work with.

But I continued to fight for the song and the label relented. And it became a worldwide hit. He didn't include that in the book.

He also goes on to say My December wasn't successful because I co-penned the album and it didn't have "pop hits". Well, first let me say, I've co-penned many of my "pop hits." Secondly, My December went platinum (It sold 20,000 less than All I Ever Wanted which followed My December.) Hardly a huge failure. Never Again, the ONLY single they released in the US from that record was a Top 10 hit. I am very proud of that and I have my fans to thank. But, again, what's most interesting about his story is what he leaves out: He doesn't mention how he stood up in front of his company at a convention and belittled me and my music and completely sabotaged the entire project. It never had a chance to reach it's full potential. My December was an album I needed to make for myself for many reasons and the fact that I was so completely disregarded and disrespected was so disheartening, there really aren't words to explain….

READ. HIM. KELLY.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

They have a job to do.. We hear all the bad but I'm sure they do a ton of good

the artist is also trying to make a living...we actually dont hear all the bad the execs do...we just sit on our ass and blame the artist for everything that goes wrong and call them a flop...so it's great she's putting him on blast

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

And sabotaged it.

Didn't he prevent Whitney from being a feature on a MJ song as well ? He didn't even want her to do THe Bodyguard soundtrack i believe

Yup, I just can't stop loving you, and yes, he wanted her to ONLY sing and encouraged her to not go into songwritting (read that in 1 of her biographies, that on the 2nd album she requested meeting with writters and get into writting her music too, but Clive put his foot down)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the artist is also trying to make a living...we actually dont hear all the bad the execs do...we just sit on our ass and blame the artist for everything that goes wrong and call them a flop...so it's great she's putting him on blast

The exec is trying to make a living as well.. And again.. We hear of all the bad but we hear none of the good

Like saving the company millions by not giving money to these flops bc they are irrelevant. That's their job... To make money.. It's like trying to promote a fax machine in 2013... It's useful to few but labels aren't going to plug millions into it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The exec is trying to make a living as well.. And again.. We hear of all the bad but we hear none of the good

Like saving the company millions by not giving money to these flops bc they are irrelevant. That's their job... To make money.. It's like trying to promote a fax machine in 2013... It's useful to few but labels aren't going to plug millions into it

no it's not again...because you never hear the bad on the execs side...the execs have tons of artist so dont give me that crap about they need to make a living as well. The execs are not always right as Kelly just explained and as Pink proved to L.A

  • Upvote 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

no it's not again...because you never hear the bad on the execs side...the execs have tons of artist so dont give me that crap about they need to make a living as well. The execs are not always right as Kelly just explained and as Pink proved to L.A

Execs are probably more often wrong than right. People forget Virgin record didn't even want to realease "That's the way love goes" and it turned out to be Janet's biggest hit.

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

And I love Clive but this is another example of just how off his judgement can be. Sia created a mock business card on Twitter the other day and it read, Sia Furler - choruses not big enough for Clive Davis.

If there's one thing to know about Sia's pop hits it's that she writes choruses big enough to blow a hole in the wall.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...