I love Kelly Clarkson for her rants. She speaks her mind, from her heart, with zero (expletives) given.
But in a way, I wonder if continuing this particular conversation will help us? Or hurt us?
Because the topic she brought up — the gender inequalities that female singers face trying to get their songs on country radio — has been talked about and talked about and talked about. I’m afraid it might start falling on deaf ears. To quote Toby Keith, I think it’s time for a little less talk and a lot more action.
Meaning, if the lack of women on country radio bothers you, turn it off. And stream the music you do like. Download the music you want to hear. Go to concerts. Buy the merch. Scout social media to find out who the artists you like are listening to.
In other words, these days, radio’s not the only game in town.
But back to the rant.
In a YouTube video to promote her new show premiering on Monday (Sept. 9) — The Kelly Clarkson Show — Clarkson analyzes current internet slang. When she gets to Farm Emo, she theorizes that it might be a farmer who is sad because the crops aren’t coming in. Then she learns that it means “slang for country music.”
She rants for a bit about how country music isn’t even country music anymore because it’s full of weird word rap and there are only about four people making all the music.
“Y’all don’t play people with boobs either,” Clarkson says to anyone from country radio who might be watching her. “It’s like, ’Oh, they’ve got boobs, they’re not a man, we can’t play you, get outta here.’
“What happened? Do you want me to go off on how many women were monumental? I was so inspired by Reba, Trisha, Patty, Martina, Terri, Trisha, the Judds, Dolly, and Shania. So many women. What is happening? This is what’s happening: y’all aren’t playing country music anymore. I’m mad about it. I grew up on country music, and I loved it. That was such a great, positive influence.”
(Side note: Clarkson has been married to Blake Shelton’s manager Brandon Blackstock for almost six years. No word yet on what Blackstock and Shelton think of her diatribe.)
Clarkson laments the state of the music so much, that by the end of the Farm Emo rant, she says, “I’m ready for country music to hate me. Everybody’s mad. I need some wine.”
Watch the full video here: