In an interview with the CBC, Kelly Clarkson tells a tale of how she “fought and fought” her record label to keep “Already Gone” from being her 3rd single? Why? Because songwriter, Ryan Tedder, basically ripped himself off, composing two songs with a similar melody, Kelly’s “Already Gone” (she had a co-write) and Beyonce’s hit “Halo”.
‘Ryan and I met each other at the record label, before he was working with anyone else,’ Clarkson begins, gritting her teeth. ‘He’s from Oklahoma, I’m from Texas; we got along really well and had some of the same influences. We wrote about six songs together, four or five of them made the album. It was all fine and dandy. I’d never heard of a song called Halo. Her album came out when my album was already being printed. No-one’s gonna be sittin’ at home, thinking ‘Man, Ryan Tedder gave Beyonce and Kelly the same track to write to.’ No, they’re just gonna be saying I ripped someone off. I called Ryan and said, ‘I don’t understand. Why would you do that?”
The palpably frustrated Clarkson claims she ‘fought and fought’ to try and prevent her label from releasing Already Gone as her third single, out of respect for Beyonce.
‘In the end, they’re releasing it without my consent,’ she sighs. ‘It sucks, but it’s one of those things I have no control over. I already made my album. At this point, the record company can do whatever they want with it. It’s kind of a shitty situation, but.’ ¦ You know, you learn.’
Ryan Tedder: Well on his way to become a hack.
As for Kelly–she said once in an interview that at this point, she had all the money she’d ever need. Maybe it’s time to ditch the suits and go indie. You know you wanna do it Kelly. Just do it! I’d dig a follow up to the under-rated My December, or more like Kelly’s incredible cover of Patti Griffin’s “Up to the Mountain” from Idol Gives Back Season 6…
After the jump, compare the similar “Halo” and “Already Gone”.
ETA: Kelly says she and Beyonce wrote their songs to the same backing track. Listen to Kelly sing “Already Gone” to “Halo’s” instrumental track HERE.
Beyonce – Halo
Kelly Clarkson – Already Gone
Jumping in on this convo late, but I have to say Kelly’s my new hero! Probably not the best move for her career, but chica’s got massive cajones, and I respect that. I noticed a long time ago that Emperor Tedder has no clothes. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…sick. to. death. of Ryan Tedder and his homogenizing influence on pop radio. Ugg. Hate Halo, hate hate hate Battlefield with the heat of a thousand suns, never liked Bleeding Love, not a big fan of Apologize, Already Gone is aight. I do think Stop and Stare is a great song, so I know there’s talent in there somewhere, but he’s obviously been in high demand since Apologize blew up, and seems to me he’s now burned out and phoning it in. There’s a big difference between having a signature sound and cloning yourself over and over. People have mentioned Timba, who may also be burned out lately, but when I think about HIS signature hits like Get Your Freak On, The Way I Are, and Sexyback, I don’t find them to be carbon copy-ish like Tedder’s stuff.
Not to mention Pat Benatar was probably thinking “Battlefield? Is that what love is, Jordin? Really? I mean, REALLY?”
I think Ryan needs to stop trying to churn out so many pop songs for other people and work on his own music with his own sound. His best stuff is the stuff on Dreaming Out Loud. There’s a lot of potential there.
I really hope this isn’t as bad as it sounds. I wanted to hear more from OneRepublic.
I think the Battlefield/Awesome God comparisons are a stretch. They have similar chord progressions in the choruses, not the same melody. That’s about it. So do a lot of songs. Happens all the time.
FTR, I don’t like Halo, but I like Already Gone. They have essentially the same backing music, but they’re pretty distinct songs. So it’s not about the backing track; it’s about how you use it…
“It’s kind of funny for me that this is coming up. I’ve never really been a Kelly fan but I remember the first time I heard Since U Been Gone and I asked my daughter ‘who IS that?’ and I was shocked when she told me ‘Kelly Clarkson’ . Then I heard Breakaway (admittedly I might have the songs mixed up..but y’all get the drift) and I thought to myself ‘She’s fantastic and who would’ve thought this could come from AI?’ So while I’ve never been a ‘fan’ , I do appreciate what she brings to the table. But these past two songs; My Life Would Suck etc. and I Do Not Hook Up are leaving me cold. I dont know what it is exactly but the best way I can describe it is she seems disconnected to what she’s singing. I can’t get past the slickness factor. I’ve thought more than once that she sounds lost and it would really be something to hear her sing a song she’s truly connected to. ”
Watch this:
Patsy Cline’s “Walking after midnight”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amLajm0Qvy4
“Chivas” live (from My December)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClYb892i4NQ
“Sober” live (from My December)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrZJLkMb7sQ
“Up to the mountain” (Patty Griffin)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vePnI4wyp68
“Hole” live (from My December) (one of my 2 favorites of the album)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR7Ctng6lvc
“Already gone” acoustic version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74JmwOcjqjc
Probabaly not. However, Tamyra Gray could have had Kelly-like success with the right material. She was considered a strong contender to win the whole thing before her surprise elimination.
Since you’ve referenced the other two notable “stars” that Idol produced, do you know what they else they have in common with Kelly? They’re also the “first” major Idol to attempt to make it in their field of music. Hence, they, like Kelly never had to face comparisons to other Idols that came before them and never had to contend with accusations that they were wanna-bes.
Kelly was the first Idol, period, and the first female pop artist the show produced, and nobody else from her genre has come close to replicating her success. Carrie was the first country Idol, and her followups in Pickler and K. Cook didn’t do nearly as well, although to be fair, neither are nearly as talented as Carrie. And Chris was the first contemporary pop rock/ rocker to break out of Idol, and, consequently, he’s done far better than David Cook, but in his case I actually wouldn’t say he is more talented than Cook….
That was then. Kind of like Kelly herself. She’s “then“. She isn’t “now“….
Nope, it’s pretty much the same melody as well as chord progressions in that case. Listen to that YouTube side-by-side comparison again.
Yes, absolutely! The first few times I heard “Halo” I thought it was Leona Lewis! I was thinking, “Damn, her second song sounds exactly like “Bleeding Love!”
maria4hitz – if Kelly can’t be connected to what she is singing, it’s not the songs’ fault.
Like many people said, Tedder has a signature sound. That shouldn’t have been a shock if Kelly had done her homework. He probably has given the same track to different people before. (same track doesn’t mean it’s the same song)
Homework??? He gave them the same track to write to, and probably at the same time, she couldn’t have known that unless he told her. She, like the rest of us, heard Halo when the album came out, and at that time Kelly’s album was already being printed, my guess is that she wouldn’t have put the song on her album if she knew there was another song almost identical being released as a single.
And of course if she’s not connected to the song it’s not the song’s fault, I agree with you, singers connect with the music they really love, and you can see that when they’re performing live. I put those examples because there is music that kelly connects to, and it’s that kind of music. Kelly said after performing “Walking after midnight” that she would record a whole album with that music if her label would back her up. Her style is obviously more like singer-songwriter, like My December, but people and her label want her to be a popstar. She left The Firm because Jeff wanted her to be the biggest popstar in the world, and she doesn’t want to. I can’t wait until they finish their contract (she has one more album with them) and see what she does next. She loves music and she enjoys it, and she would never record something she doesn’t like because it’s her voice and her face out there and she’s responsible for the product she releases, but it’s obvious she prefers other kinds of music. This has always been the story, she wants to do something and the label wants her to a completely different thing. And they own her right now, so she has no choice.
So I understand when she complains that Ryan gave her and Beyonce the same song, she agreed with the label that she would work with the producers they wanted for this album, but giving her the same song as another artist… that is just too much. And I admire her courage for saying it, for making people know that she’s not happy with that. She’s honest, it’s that simple, someone asked her about it and she answered.
Count me in the camp that’s sympathetic to Kelly, even if she isn’t doing herself or her career any favors by being outspoken about this. That said, I’m not the least bit shocked Ryan Tedder is copycatting himself. And to me, both these songs sound like a knockoff of Leona Lewis’ “Better in Time” (not so much “Bleeding Love”). Did he write that one, too?
Have to say I don’t like any of those songs very much – “Better in Time” slightly more than the others. Never cared for “Apologize,” either. They just all blend together – a bland blend of blah.
Ryan is speaking out about the issue on his myspace:
BTW his myspace is aliastheproducer
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Kelly Clarkson ‘Already Gone’ and Beyonce ‘Halo’ issue
Hey everyone, Ryan here. So’ ¦..i’m in Europe on vacation with my wife yesterday when I get a flurry of emails with links to gossip sites and media outlets saying ‘Kelly clarkson throws producer Ryan Tedder under the bus re: Already Gone’ etc etc etc’ ¦ Alleging that I copied myself or ‘pulled a fast one’ on Kelly Clarkson. This couldn’t be farther from the truth and the whole thing is absurd’ ¦.however, I need to actually read what the [heck] is going on, make a call or 2, and be fully informed of it, then I assure you I will have a proper, respectful response. I don’t take allegations of this nature lightly- ESPECIALLY when it’s in regards to artists I respect and admire. Nor do I let things like this go unaddressed. So, give me a minute, and I’ll tell u whatsup and what really happened, or in this case, ‘didn’t’ happen.
Regards-
Ryan Tedder