Kelly Clarkson: 'Taking control of my career feels good'

Kelly Clarkson has admitted that finally taking control of her music career feels good.

The singer has had public fallouts with record bosses in the past over what direction she would like to take her music.

However, the original American Idol champion revealed that working on her new album Stronger was a much more harmonious process between herself and her label.

Clarkson told the Daily Star: "I think that's why we kind of went with the whole Stronger theme because it's the first time everybody working around me and at the record company really agreed and worked together really well.

"More people are comfortable and know me better and I know them better."

The 29-year-old continued: "It feels good. I feel the thing I'm most proud of is that I've always done what I wanted and that's been really hard in the past.

"I've had to earn their trust and now I'm saying: 'I've written you a lot of number ones, OK, I'm not just a one-hit wonder here.'"

Clarkson also revealed that she has been listening to a few British female artists recently and is a huge fan of their work.

"iTunes recommended I listen to Ellie Goulding so I've only recently got into her album Lights, it's ridiculous. I think it's so cool and different sounding," she said.

"I've liked chicks with bands since I was a kid. Like Gwen Stefani with No Doubt or The Pretenders."

Kelly Clarkson's new album Stronger will be released on October 24.

The record's lead single 'Mr Know It All' is available to download in the US and in the UK on October 16.

> Kelly Clarkson's new album 'Stronger': First listen
> Kelly Clarkson debuts new song 'What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)'

Watch the music video for Kelly Clarkson's 'Mr Know It All' below: