Kelly Clarkson’s New Breakup Song References One Of Her Most Emotional Hits

Hell hath no fury like a scorned Kelly Clarkson, at least if hits like “Since U Been Gone” proved anything. On April 14, the Grammy winner released two new singles, “mine” and “me,” from her upcoming album chemistry. It marks her first (non-Christmas) album since 2017’s Meaning of Life, and the first since her divorce from Brandon Blackstock, from whom she split in 2020 after over six years of marriage. Naturally, chemistry is sure to be an emotional doozy, with Clarkson explaining in a statement that the album “takes you down every path that chemistry could lead you down.”

“Mine” and “me” are both unapologetic, fully-fledged break-up songs, with each one showing Clarkson going through a different stage of grieving her longtime relationship. “We decided to release ‘mine’ and ‘me’ at the same time because I didn’t want to release just one song to represent an entire album, or relationship,” she said. “There are many stages of grief and loss on this album. Each song is a different stage and emotional state.”

On “mine,” Clarkson clearly spells out the turmoil that her ex put her through, and initially blames herself for getting into that situation. “Can't believe I let you in, I can’t believe I stayed,” she sings in the first verse. But it doesn’t take long for her to spell out how she hopes he feels in the future. “I hope one day someone will take your heart and hold it tight,” she sings before the chorus. “And right when you think that you’ll try again, they cross a line and steal your shine, like you did mine.”

However, she rises from the ashes and stands up for herself on “me,” co-written by “abcdefu” hitmaker GAYLE. She even gives a sly nod to her 2015 Grammy-nominated tearjerker “Piece by Piece,” which was written about the comfort she felt from her relationship with Blackstock, but she turns the hit on its head by singing, “I put together my broken,” replacing her ex with herself. “Let go of the hand I’ve been holdin’,” she continues. “Don’t need to need somebody, when I got me.”

The two new songs give just a glimpse into what to expect from chemistry, which promises to capture every emotion that comes with starting and ending a relationship. The 13-track album will be released on June 23 and feature some unexpected collaborations with Steve Martin and Sheila E. Clarkson will promote the album by taking a break from her Emmy-winning talk show and performing a limited engagement of chemistry shows in Las Vegas, which kick off in July.

Read the full lyrics of “mine” and “me” below, as transcribed by Genius.

Kelly Clarkson’s “Mine” Lyrics

You know I question every motive, everything you say

Thought with you maybe my heart wasn’t meant to break

Can’t believe I let you in, I can’t believe I stayed

As long as I stayed, yeah

I hope one day someone will take your heart and hold it tight

Make you feel like you’re invincible deep inside

And right when you think that it’s perfect, they cross a line

And steal your shine like you did mine

Go ahead and break my hеart, that’s fine (So unkind)

Eternal sunshine of thе spotless mind (Oh, love is blind)

Why am I missin’ you tonight? (Was it all a lie?)

Someone’s gonna show you how a heart can be used

Like you did mine

And now I second guess my thoughts every step I take

I'm losin’ hope in love and I've lost all in faith

Yeah, for a dreamer, I just close my eyes and it’s all blank

I have you to thank, yeah

I hope one day someone will take your heart and hold it tight

Make you feel like you’re invincible deep inside

And right when you think that you’ll try again, they cross a line

And steal your shine like you did mine

Go ahead and break my heart, that’s fine (So unkind)

Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind (Oh, love is blind)

Why am I missin’ you tonight? (Was it all a lie?)

Someone’s gonna show you how a heart can be used

And you keep talkin’, it'll come back, karma

Is the truth, I don't make you look bad, you do, darlin’

Sabotage, your choice of art

Who the hell do you think you are?

Go ahead and break my heart, that’s fine

Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind

Why am I missin’ you tonight?

Someone’s gonna show you how a heart can be used

Like you did mine

Kelly Clarkson’s “Me” Lyrics

Buried myself into somebody else

Shut out some parts of me, did it so casually

I guess I needed that to be able to step back

I lived my life without me, I never allowed me to

Too much I’ve had to live for, put my life on hold for

I'm always pleasin’ someone, honestly, now I’m done

I don’t need somebody to hold me

Don’t need somebody to love me

Don’t need somebody to pick these pieces up

I put together my broken

Let go of the pain I'vе been holdin’

Don’t need to need somebody

When I got me

Lovеd you so much, took an army to pull me up

But now on the other side, I remembered I could fly

I told you I wanted you (I told you)

But you needed me to need you (Needed me to need you)

Your insecurity was the death of you and me (Oh)

Too many times you questioned what were my intentions (Ooh, yeah)

I never gave you reasons, you’re the one with secrets

I don’t need somebody to hold me (Oh no)

Don’t need somebody to love me (Oh yeah)

Don’t need somebody to pick these pieces up (Pick these pieces up)

I put together my broken

Let go of the pain I’ve been holdin’

Don’t need to need somebody (Don’t need, I don’t need)

When I got me (When I got, when I got, when I got me)

When I got me (When I got, when I got, when I got me)

Yeah, yeah, when I got me

I bet you feel the absence of my love every night (Ooh, ooh)

There’s no one else, you are the reason I said goodbye

‘Cause I don’t need somebody to scold me

Don’t need somebody that hurts me

Don’t need somebody who feels weak standin’ next to me

I put together my broken

Let go of your hand I’ve been holdin’ (Let go)

Don’t need to need somebody

When I got me (When I got, when I got, when I got me)

When I got me (When I got, when I got, when I got me)