Singer and daytime show host Kelly Clarkson revealed that Taylor Swift sends her good “Karma” each time a ‘Taylor’s Version’ is released.
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In a recent catch up with E! News, Kelly Clarkson mentioned that Taylor Swift reaches out to her whenever she releases one of her ‘Taylor’s Version’ albums. “You know what’s so funny? She just sent me flowers,” she shared when the news outlet mentioned the singer. “She’s so nice. She did! She was like, ‘Every time I release something’—’cause she just did 1989. I got that really cute cardigan, too.”
So why the flowers and gifts? It was actually Kelly Clarkson who gave Taylor the idea of reclaiming her song ownership with re-recordings. “Just a thought, U should go in & re-record all the songs that U don’t own the masters on” Clarkson said in the now-famous 2019 tweet. “I’d buy all of the new versions just to prove a point.” And she was onto something huge.
As we all know, each ‘Taylor’s Version’ has been a massive or record-breaking success. With the re-done albums Fearless, Red, Speak Now and the recently released 1989, Taylor Swift has brought old music and never-before-heard songs back into the mainstream for generations of listeners. She now holds the record for most number 1 albums by a female artist (THIRTEEN albums), is the first woman with four albums in Billboard chart top 10 at the same time, holds most top five Billboard Hot 100 hits among women, and countless others. The debut week of 1989 (Taylor’s Version) brought in 1.359 million in traditional album sales, and 1.653 million equivalent album units in total… and it all comes back to Clarkson’s tweet.
For Clarkson, the idea of re-recording came out of frustration and understanding for Swift. “It just sucks when you see artists that you admire and you respect, really wanting something and it’s special to them” she explained. “You know if they’re going to find a loophole, you find a loophole. And she did it and literally is, like, the best-selling artist I feel like of all-time now.”
While Swift is clearly appreciative of the idea, Clarkson takes no credit for what is now known as ‘Taylor’s Versions.’ “She’s a very smart businesswoman. So, she would have thought of that,” Clarkson presumed, and expressed gratitude that the Swifties took to the ‘Versions.’ “It's so cool to see a fanbase really get behind her in that too because it's important. She's known for being such an incredible songwriter and the soundtrack to a lot of people's lives and that's her life. So, you should have the option of owning that.”
Perhaps we’re going to see the “Breakaway” singer join the Taylor squad… or maybe even a collaboration? While we wait to hear more, you can listen to them both with Audacy’s Kelly Clarkson Radio and Taylor Swift Radio.