Kelly Clarkson debuted “Mr. Know It All” today during a live stream on her website and all we have to say is Beyonce better watch out.
The tune is a switch up for Clarkson: there”s no belting, not rocking guitars. It”s a straight-ahead, sassy, soul-tinged mid-tempo pop tune about a man who she”s sending packing. It would have sounded perfectly in place on Beyonce”s “4”; in fact some of Clarkson”s phrasing even recalls Beyonce. There are no vocal pyrotechnics, but it has a solid, catchy feel.
“Mr. Know It All” is also a big loser because he”s made our Kelly sad, but she”s having none of it: “Mr. Bring Me Down, well you like to bring Me Down, but I ain”t laying down, I ain”t going down… you think you know me/know me, that”s why I”m leaving you lonely/lonely, because you don”t know a thing about it.”
There”s a nice slowed-down bridge and backing vocals, done by Clarkson, to give the song a slight retro feel.
[More after the jump…]
It”s the first single from the American Idol”s fifth album, “Stronger,” out Oct. 25. The single is available for download starting Sept. 5. She already shot the video in Nashville with director Justin Francis, but wouldn’t reveal any other details.
An adorably nervous Clarkson introduced the single and then started answering questions from fans on her iPad. She said the album”s influences include Prince, Tina Turner and Sheryl Crow. “There”s [also] some stuff on there that sounds very country influenced, the writing style, even the delivery of it… it”s like my tour, i kind of go through a lot of different genres, but it all ties in.”
Not included on the album is a duet she and fellow former “Idol” Chris Daughtry wanted to cut. “We had a great song for this album, but it didn”t fit,” she said. “I love Chris, so one day we are going to get a song together and please a lot of fans and ourselves because we enjoy each other”s music and each other.” Clarkson said there is a duet on the album with another female singer, but she wouldn”t reveal who made the cut, other than hinting, “she is somewhat affiliated with ‘American Idol”.”
Despite declaring that she”d need to have a host next time, she did great… until the feed went dark. Here are some fun tidbits from the live Q&A:
Why is Mr. Know It All the first single: “We picked ‘Mr. Know It All’ because it was unlike any other song that we”ve ever come out with. we usually go with that guitar driven anthem song. It sets up the album nicely.
Why is the album called “Stronger”: “I ended up naming the album ‘Stronger,’ namely bcause the album is about empowerment and strength overall. I love being sassy, having overall attitude. Raining on boys” parades.
Touring plans: Expect a tour early next year after Clarkson’s finished her promo tour. The band is already rehearsing.
How is “Stronger” different from her previous albums: “This album is vocally different from all the other albums. Every producer captured how I sound live even more so than the previous album… With pop music things can sound highly compressed or autotuned…[this is] how I sound live.”
Whom would she like to duet with? “There”s a lot of people I”d like to do a duet with,” she said before noting that there are two in her immediate sights: “I”m going to wear them down until they get in the studio with me. I”m a huge fan of Adele and Miranda Lambert. If I have to be a huge stalker fan to get them to do it, I will do it.
Is she mad about the leaks from the album earlier this year: “I”m not so mad about the leaks as it just kind of spoils of the fun, but I get it. If I could listen to stuff before it comes out, I”d do it, but it spoils the fun.”
Her songwriting contributions to “Stronger”: I wrote half this album. I didn”t plan to do that. We had a lot of great songs from a lot of great writers. I”d never want to write the whole album myself. I feel like that would be the same song 12 times. I would never have written ‘Mr. Know It All” or ‘What Doesn”t Kill You”,” she said, referencing the song from which the album title is derived. “I think it”s awesome to pick a song that I can relate to and wish that I could have written.”
Other tidbits: Her favorite song to do live is “Walk Away.” 
” I feel like I”m Annie Lennox when I do it. It”s just a big, ballsy-girl song….Her favorite TV show is “The Closer”…Her celebrity crush is “Friday Night Light”/”Super 8” star Kyle Chander. “He”s so hot, if he weren”t married, I might stalk him. If you know anyone who looks like him, send him my way”…On her days off, she likes to enjoy a “drink or two or three” with friends and can sometimes be found performing karaoke at Larry”s Lounge in Nashville. Fans are welcome to join her there.