Is Kelly Clarkson's new single too similar to a Bruno Mars hit?
In many ways, 2011 is shaping up to be a comeback year for Kelly Clarkson, the singer that many fans still regard as the most talented American Idol winner in the show’s history. However, with the release of her new single, “Mr. Know It All,” the singer is facing controversy, including accusations of plagiarism.
The lead track from Clarkson’s upcoming album Stronger, due in October, “Mr. Know It All” takes a break from Clarkson’s usual guitar-driven pop-rock sound and instead goes for a mellower vibe, with semi-spoken lyrics and piano accents. Likable even though it fails to spotlight Clarkson’s famously strong pipes, the real problem with the song is how closely its music arrangement and vocal lines resemble Bruno Mars’s hit “Just The Way You Are.”
In 2009, Clarkson found herself tangled in plagiarism controversy over another single, “Already Gone.” Clarkson publicly spoke out about her dislike of the track, stating that the song’s co-writer, OneRepublic leader Ryan Tedder, had drawn so heavily from another of his hits, Beyoncé’s “Halo,” that fans would resent her for copying the popular song. Clarkson even refused to perform the single during television appearances. Tedder denied the plagiarism accusation.
In light of her previous stance against copying another hit song—and we agree with her that “Already Gone” did sound very much like “Halo”—we’re surprised to hear how similar Clarkson’s new “Mr. Know It All” is to Bruno Mars’s hit “Just The Way You Are.”
Listen to both songs here at Kazaa, or check out the video below, and tell us if you think Clarkson and her songwriters have copied Mars’s recipe for success.
Below, Kelly Clarkson’s first concert performance of her new single “Mr. Know It All.”
