Kelly Clarkson Says Sorry To Clive Davis About Rubbish Album

It was one of the great pop feuds of our time - in the red corner was Kelly Clarkson, who'd just written an album all by herself; and in the blue corner was Clive Davis, who didn't want to release the album because he thought it was rubbish.

Well, that's how the feud started anyway. Sooner or later the feud came to be Kelly Clarkson Vs Clive Davis and her manager who agreed with Clive Davis, and then Kelly Clarkson Vs Clive Davis, her manager who agreed with Clive Davis and the entire record-buying population of the world who seemed to be on Clive Davis' side as well. And now, in the face of disappointing record sales for the darkly emotional album My December and a tour that was cancelled because nobody bought tickets, Kelly Clarkson has decided to reach out and apologise to Clive Davis, who plans to reverse the damage that My December did to Kelly Clarkson's career by making her rush-release a new album called Puppies And Boys Make My Heart Go Plinky Plonky Ploo.

It takes a big man to apologise when he's done wrong, and Kelly Clarkson is nothing if not a big man. As the first winner of American Idol in 2002, Kelly Clarkson was thrust into the global spotlight in an unprecedented way. Fans screeched her name wherever she went, movie studios asked her to make really useless films with Sideshow Bob lookalike American Idol runner-ups and her first album sold three million copies. Then, bucking the usual 'one album then oblivion' talent show-winning career trajectory, Kelly Clarkson's second album Breakaway sold 11 million albums, spawned all manner of hit singles and won Kelly Clarkson a slew of awards.

Sudden success like that is bound to bring out your inner megalomaniac, and that was the case in 2006 when Kelly Clarkson refused to let American Idol use her songs. But that was small fry compared to what happened this year regarding Kelly Clarkson's new album My December. As the public's favourite American Idol contestant quickly became Oscar-winning Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson decided to write My December herself and fill it full of dark rock songs about how hard it is to be a millionaire pop singer.

But famously Clive Davis - head of Kelly Clarkson's record label and the man who signed Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, Whitney Houston and Ace Of Base - didn't like the direction of My December and offered Kelly Clarkson a cash reward to change some songs for some more commercial ones of his choosing. Kelly Clarkson refused, released the album she wanted, watched it flop, sacked her manager and then cancelled a tour because nobody wanted any tickets. But at least Kelly Clarkson knows she made a mistake, because now she's written a grovelling apology to Clive Davis on her website. Kelly writes:

I want my band, my advisers, those close to me and my record label to be one big, tightly knit family. Like any family we will disagree and argue sometimes but, in the end, it's respect and admiration that will keep us together. A lot has been made in the press about my relationship with Clive… Contrary to recent characterizations in the press, I'm well aware that Clive is one of the great record men of all time. He has been a key adviser and has been an important force in my success to date. He has also given me respect by releasing my new album when he was not obligated to do so. I really regret how this has turned out and I apologize to those whom I have done disservice.

While being a bit apologetic on the internet isn't going to make any more people run out to the stores to buy My December, it is an important indication that Kelly Clarkson is finally ready to listen to her advisers once again. And we'll discover what those advisers say on Kelly's forthcoming Kelly Clarkson Says "Sveltesse Yogurts Are Yumlicious!" Nestleganza world tour.

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Special Announcement - Kelly Clarkson