"Piece By Piece" Has An Emotional Backstory

I, like everyone else with a beating heart, cried like a little baby when I watched Kelly Clarkson perform "Piece by Piece" on American Idol. And I, like everyone else with a curious mind, wondered about the subject of the song. "Piece by Piece" is about Clarkson's father. I knew that Clarkson's relationship with her father was shaky, but when I witnessed her deliver such an emotionally charged performance and took a better look at the lyrics, it occurred to me that her issues with him must run deep. So, I wondered, does Kelly Clarkson still talk to her dad?

Well, if you look closely, the song itself infers that she doesn't. It's undeniably beautiful, but also a haunting condemnation — one that insinuates that the two aren't on the best of terms. According to Billboard, Clarkson wrote the song while she was pregnant with her daughter, River Rose. Considering that she gave birth to her daughter in June 2014, it's reasonable to think that in that time things could have possibly changed for the better. So, did they?

Well, the answer appears to be a bit complicated. In an interview with Ryan Seacrest, Clarkson insinuated that she and her father, at some point in time, have tried to talk. In fact, not only have they spoken, she also valiantly tried to make amends with him. But, unfortunately, she noted that despite her efforts things didn't quite pan out between them.

She explained in the interview on On Air With Ryan Seacrest :

I'm not angry about it anymore. I'm 33 years old, I'm a grown woman. But it's more of that thing where you can try your hardest to salvage relationships — and I did — but at the end of the day, if you keep getting hurt by someone because they just don't know how to properly love people, it's just not worth it. It's not worth the strain in your heart and it starts to bleed into your other relationships and it becomes super dysfunctional.

Clarkson also commented on what inspired "Piece By Piece" during the interview:

I don't even think I understood the gravity of [my relationship with my father] until I was pregnant with [River Rose]. I was like, "I cannot imagine not seeing this kid to his or her full potential and just seeing what she's going to do, what she's going to be like."

Well, there you have it. Clarkson and her father no longer seem to speak to each other, as the song would have you think. Familial troubles aside, you have to respect her steely resolve and self-respect. She is one strong woman.