Kelly Clarkson’s Iconic 2019 Tweet to Taylor Swift Was Inspired By a Country Icon
We love powerhouse pop stars supporting other icons, and Taylor's Version was inspired by a long line of badasses.
As one of the most cherished vocalists of our time, Kelly Clarkson has made dozens of power moves throughout her multi-decade career, never hesitating to support other artists along the way through her role as a Coach of The Voice and her daytime talk show. Still, perhaps one of Clarkson's most iconic plays was when she sent a tweet to Taylor Swift that sent ripples throughout the music industry.
Clarkson's tweet came in the wake of Swift's highly-publicized 2019 dispute with her former music label, Big Machine. Swift was troubled after the former label sold the masters of her first six studio albums without the ability to purchase them back. After Swift expressed her eagerness to reclaim ownership of those precious early releases, she got a token of advice from another powerhouse pop star, Clarkson. Both women have navigated the turbulent music industry for decades, so Clarkson was keen to give her take on the music label mayhem, sending Swift a message via social media in hopes of helping Swift out.
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Clarkson couldn't have known that one tweet would have led to one of the biggest power moves in modern music, but Swifties are endlessly grateful.
What did Kelly Clarkson tweet to Taylor Swift in 2019?
Amid Swift's public debacle over her masters, Clarkson took to X (formerly Twitter) and posted: "@taylorswift13 just a thought: U should go in & re-record all the songs that U don't own the masters on exactly how U did them but put brand new art & some kind of incentive so fans will no longer buy the old versions. I'd buy all of the new versions just to prove a point."
Clarkson idea instantly struck a chord among Swifties, who predictably swarmed the post with love. After the tweet garnered 144,000 likes and 28,000 reposts, Clarkson's 2019 tweet has since become a fundamental piece of Taylor's Version lore.
Reba McEntire inspired Kelly Clarkson's suggestion to Taylor Swift
Oh, but layers of iconic women are behind the origins of Taylor's Version.
Clarkson's suggestion wasn't entirely unprecedented; she was inspired by the movements of another powerhouse artist, Reba McEntire. Clarkson revealed the inspiration for her tweet to Swift during a 2019 Tonight Show appearance, where host Jimmy Fallon was excited to chat about the exciting camaraderie between the pop stars after Swift revealed she was moving forward with Clarkson's suggestion.
"I wasn't really trying to defend or offend anyone," Clarkson explained. "It was more like, Reba told me she did that. That was it. That was all… She wanted to own her masters. And I was like, 'Well, if it's that important to you, like, find a way.'"
"And she recut all of her music and did it with the same musicians, the same everything. That's where I got the idea," Clarkson shrugged. "Taylor is [an] artist, like, she's been writing since she was a little girl. So it's kind of like her diary, so I get why she'd wanna [own her music]."
Taylor's Version of gratitude: flowers for Clarkson after every re-release
Just as Clarkson's foretold, the Taylor's Version re-releases have received a grand slam reception. Since 2021, Swift has re-released four albums (Fearless, Red, Speak Now, and 1989), which all debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. With Reputation and her 2006 eponymous debut still on the way, Taylor's Version has not only reignited the love for her early discography but also given her autonomy over her masters.
Swift couldn't be more grateful for those who helped her make it happen, so she sends Clarkson an appreciation gift after each of her Taylor's Version re-releases. "[Swift] just sent me flowers," Clarkson told E! News. "She's so nice, she did. She was like, 'Every time I release something' — cause she just did 1989. I got that really cute cardigan, too. I love how kind she is, though."
Clarkson added that she trusts Swift would have come to the same conclusion she did. "She's a very smart businesswoman. So, she would have thought of that," Clarkson said. "But it just sucks when you see artists that you admire, and you respect really wanting something, and it's special to them. You know, if they're going to find a loophole, you find a loophole. And she did it and literally is, like, the best-selling artist I feel like of all-time now."
