July 27, 2009

Kelly Clarkson Lashes Out at Songwriter: 'Already Gone' Resembles Beyonce's 'Halo'

By James Montgomery (MTV.com)

If you've noticed similarities between Kelly Clarkson's new single "Already Gone" and Beyoncé's hit, "Halo", well, you're not the only one. So has Clarkson, and she's not too pleased with that.

In an interview with Canada's CBC radio network , the former American Idol winner said she was not aware of any similarities between her song and Beyoncé's "Halo" until she heard the two songs side by side (according to Clarkson, her All I Ever Wanted album was finished before Beyoncé's I Am ... Sasha Fierce was released). And she did not mincing words about who she blames for the similarities: OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder, who co-wrote both songs.

"Ryan and I met each other at the record label, before he was working with anyone else. He's from Oklahoma, I'm from Texas; we got along really well and had some of the same influences," Clarkson said. "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' ... [Beyoncé's] album came out when my album was already being printed.

"No one's gonna be sittin' at home, thinkin' 'Man, Ryan Tedder gave Beyoncé and Kelly the same track to write to,' " she continued. "No, they're just gonna be sayin' I ripped someone off. I called Ryan and said, 'I don't understand. Why would you do that?' "

Most notably, "Gone" and "Halo" share some striking similarities in the backing track, which features somber piano, crashing drums and hand-claps.

Clarkson - who has clashed with her label in the past - said she was upset that "Already Gone" was released as a single without her approval, but that, at this point, there's really nothing to do about the situation.

"It sucks, but it's one of those things I have no control over," she told the CBC. "I already made my album. At this point, the record company can do whatever they want with it. It's kind of a sh---y situation, but ... you know, you learn."