After years as a major name in pop music, Kelly Clarkson revealed fame wasn’t always the perfect picture it seemed to be. The singer opened up about her battle with weight and how it contributed to the lowest points in her career.
“When I was skinny, I wanted to kill myself. I was miserable, like inside and out, for four years of my life. But no one cared, because aesthetically you make sense,” Kelly told Attitude magazine. “It was a very dark time for me. I thought the only way out was quitting. I like wrecked my knees and my feet because all I would do is put in headphones and run. I was at the gym all the time.” Clarkson also revealed executives pressured her to stay slim, making it that much harder for her.
It was after the release of My December that Kelly began to realize she needed to take back control of her life and live how she wanted to. “I was around some really negative people, and I got out of it because I had a lot of really great people there too. It was a case of turning around, facing them and walking toward the light.”
Thankfully, she did take control back and she’s still in the music industry—she’ll release her eighth album, Meaning of Life, on Oct. 27. For Kelly, this work is much different than her earlier music. “I listened to all these songs for the last 15 years, you can tell there’s a suppressed individual in there. It’s very liberating to work in an environment that’s healthy.”
Kelly took to Twitter following the interview’s publication to clear up a few of her statements, specifically those regarding suicide. “I’ve never contemplated suicide because of my weight.I said people had no idea I was unhappy oddly enough because I appeared healthy,” she wrote.
She also tweeted, “Just to clear something up. I wasn’t ever miserable because I had to be thin. I said I was miserable & as a result I became thin.”
I’m so glad there’s a happy ending to this story. It’s important to remember that everyone struggles with body image issues, and it’s not something that should be taken lightly. I’m excited to hear Kelly’s new music and the difference she’s talking about. Good for you, Kelly.