There's a storm brewing in the halls of RCA Records these days as American Idol star Kelly Clarkson and her label CEO Clive Davis wrestle each other for control over her next album.
"Clive is furious because Kelly has assumed total artistic control over her new album and refuses his suggestions," says an insider at Sony BMG, the parent of RCA.
The CEO's disdain for Clarkson was apparent at the American Idol finale. Davis plugged Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee's new singles, but said nothing about Clarkson's new album to be released in June.
According to a source at Clarkson's label, "She wrote all of the second album herself - including the hits 'Because of You,' 'Behind These Hazel Eyes' and 'Walk Away.' Clive hated 'Because of You' so much, he would routinely mock it in meetings. It was one of her most successful singles."
"She only gets like $250,000 an album when she could get millions. She refuses to take more money because she wants artistic control. And she has always turned out to be right. If Clive had had his way, she wouldn't have sold nearly as many albums as she did. We are appalled he is picking apart one of our own acts - and one that we all love."
But according to Clive Davis' camp, there is another side to the coin. "Clive gave her 'Hazel Eyes' and 'Walk Away' and he gave her the production company to help make 'Because of You' a hit. We pay millions for the albums. This is incorrect."
One thing's for sure. There's a lot riding on Clarkson's new album, due out in June.
