Even if you wanted to, there’s no avoiding superstar Kelly Clarkson. The first winner of American Idol, Clarkson’s first single, "A Moment Like This," was No. 1 on the Billboard charts within two weeks of its release. Her debut album, the appropriately titled Thankful, sold over 2 million copies.
      While Clarkson quickly established herself amongst the rankings of pop divas, what many listeners didn’t realize is that she’s also a songwriter and a remarkably savvy, focused artist. Breakaway, her second album, finds her in the driver’s seat, co-writing many of the tracks, calling the shots, and standing her ground in terms of song selection and diversity.
      In the span of two records, Clarkson has done so much and made so many appearances that it seems as if she’s been on the scene much longer. "It feels crazy," she says. "It’s been two and a half years, but I feel as if I’ve put five albums out. My brother travels with me and helps me keep up because there’s so much going on. I do so much that fans send scrapbooks because I don’t remember a lot of it."
      She began work on Breakaway in July 2004, although some of the songs were written prior to the actual recording sessions—for example, "Because Of You" was in its formative stages when she was 16. "I had a good time making this record," she says. "I hand-picked who I wanted to work with, and it was a lot of fun. I write and co-write some of my songs, including some of my singles, but I’m not one who wants all the credit. There are all kinds of artists—some sing, some write, some do both. I’m one of those and it’s fun for me.
      "Sometimes the label will love a song and I know why, but I know it doesn’t sound like me. At times it can put a lot of cooks in the kitchen, but at the end of the day I have to be happy with the record. I enjoy writing, and a lot of artists try to take credit where it isn’t due. If someone sends me a song and I’m not keen on it, I don’t send it back; I just write it more for me and I don’t take credit for it. A lot of people in this business are jaded, but I find the kid in me again. I love music and writing. I was poor my whole life, so I’m not doing it for the money.
      "Obviously, the label had an idea of what they wanted this record to sound like, and luckily we were all on the same page. They saw me in concert and knew I perform rock stuff really well, and R&B and big band. I’m a chameleon. So we all had same concept for the CD. It’s always a hassle because you want songs that represent you, and that’s a constant battle for any artist. But at the end of the day, I fought for the record I wanted and I got it. I love making records and being in the studio. At the same time, it can be a hassle to fight for what you want, but that’s what makes it worth it."
      Clarkson describes Breakaway as "a bit on the darker side," noting, "My mom and friends and fans said, ‘This is the Kelly we know.’ I love any kind of music, but even before American Idol I was always drawn to dark music. It’s pretty and touches my heart more and I always tend to write like that. I’m a happy person, but I’m drawn to the darker sides of things—they’re more passionate and intense.
      "We had to work quickly on the first record, and I probably performed each song five times in the studio to test different mics because my lows are very deep and forward and I belt so loudly. With this record I knew a lot going into the studio and what I was better at. A lot of people can sing and produce, but you’ve got to get the right producer with the right voice. On this record my vocals sound more like me live. The first record was more digital and condensed because it was such a rushed project and we had no time to figure things out. I love that record, but I’m constantly changing and this record fits me more right now."
      Formerly a pianist and violinist, she’s also focused on resuming her skills as a musician and has begun playing guitar. "I’m good at fingering and placement because of the violin," she says. "I have a Gibson electric and a Taylor acoustic, which I played on my last tour. I love the sound of acoustic and I do well with chords but not with picking yet. I really like the feel of electric guitar and it’s fun to jam out on. It brings out the kid in all of us."
      Her first taste of Los Angeles, before the fame and fortune that accompanied her television win, was less than inspiring. She sang on demos, struggled financially, and saw her apartment burned to the ground. She returned to Texas but didn’t lose hope.
      "My friends at home were in college and I wondered if I was a loser for not going to school, and for making nothing of myself. But they were changing majors and unsure of themselves, so I decided that I might as well be unsure of myself in music and keep trying. Coming from a poor family and being used to working four jobs at a time made it easier for me to come to L.A. with nothing than it would be for someone who had everything to come here and have nothing. I was used to working my butt off. I was at rock bottom, so where could I go from there but up?
      "When I was a sophomore in high school, I sang ‘Amazing Grace’ at church one Sunday, a church I had attended since the second grade. An elderly man that I had never met came up to me—it was his second time attending service there—and he said, ‘God has chosen you and given you the talent, and you’re going to go far with this. You’ve inspired me; this is your way of expressing God’s love to people.’ That’s gotten me through the hard times—remembering that it was God’s intent and plan for me, because trust me, I have no other talents! So I don’t see why I would be blessed with a gift like this one and not use it."
      No matter how much time she spends in Los Angeles, or in any other city, Clarkson is still a Texan at heart. "Oh, definitely!" she says. "I’m remodeling my home there right now. Los Angeles is cool—it’s sunny, there’s the beach, but all my friends are in Texas and there’s nothing like going home and feeling safe in my own comfort zone.
      "Texans are the most proud people on the planet—we call it our country! People there are mostly laid back; they stop and help each other, it’s a different environment, one of the biggest states, and yet it’s a bunch of small towns with friendly people and I love that. When people ask how I’m doing, they genuinely care. It’s a very different environment from West Hollywood, which is a giant Halloween party sometimes. This whole industry has been a bit of an awakening experience. People tell you, ‘Show up here, it’s a who’s who place and people will see you there,’ and I go, ‘What’s the point of that?’ I’m not that person at all and I’m not going to mold myself to that standard."
      This spring, Clarkson will begin a tour of small theatres, which she prefers because of the intimacy they provide. "My past two tours were arenas and it was awesome," she says, "but it’s hard to make people in the rafters and nosebleed seats comfortable. I know because I used to be the girl in those seats. In theaters you can see the person onstage and feel the music. After that tour, I’ll come back and co-headline arenas or headline amphitheaters in the summer."
      In addition to her tour dates, she is releasing a DVD, Behind Hazel Eyes, on March 29 that takes fans into the studio. "You’ll see me writing, meet the people I work with, see how songs evolve, the back and forth with the label and some goofy stuff, like me camping with a couple of my girlfriends. I’ve gone camping a lot, obviously—I’m from Texas!—but never just two girls and I. It’s a video diary, different things for fans to enjoy. I talk to them online and I have a different vibe from a lot of artists. My fans ask questions, and things they ask about I address in the DVD."