Kelly Clarkson has taken a bold new step in her career, revealing that she has launched her own music label. She shared the exciting news on the Wednesday, January 22, episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show while chatting with guest Keke Palmer, who has been running her own record label for several years.
During their conversation, Clarkson, 42, expressed admiration for Palmer’s journey with her musical group DivaGurl. Then, she surprised her audience by announcing that she, too, had recently ventured into independent music production.
“I am so much older than you… and it’s my first time in my career, and I just now started my own label and I’m putting out my own stuff,” she shared. Clarkson described the move as a return to the creative excitement she felt as a child, free from outside pressures dictating her music choices. “It’s like being that 10-year-old again, being excited, and nobody saying, ‘Oh, you should do this’ or ‘You should do that.’”
Palmer, 31, acknowledged that running a label is far from easy, to which Clarkson quickly agreed. “Girl, I’m finding out,” she said, laughing. She admitted that managing the details—like planning music videos and distribution—was overwhelming but empowering. “I just now started it. I started writing, and I was like, ‘Wait, how do I put this out now?’ And then I was like, ‘Well, I guess through me.’”
Despite the challenges, Clarkson is embracing this new chapter. “I feel like I’ve earned it, so I’m excited. I think I’ve earned the moment.”
Clarkson’s career has been marked by major label deals since she won American Idol in 2002. She released seven studio albums under RCA, including Breakaway and Stronger, before moving to Atlantic Records in 2016, where she dropped Meaning of Life and Chemistry.
As of January 23, her name still appeared on Atlantic’s artist roster, and details about her new label remain under wraps. However, Clarkson’s decision signals a shift toward greater creative control, allowing her to make music entirely on her own terms.