Whole Lotta Woman (Kelly Clarkson song)

"Whole Lotta Woman" is a song by American singer Kelly Clarkson from her eighth studio album Meaning of Life (2017). Clarkson co-penned the track with its producers Jussifer, Novawav duo Denisia Andrews & Brittany Coney, Fade Majah, and Jesse Shatkin. A soul anthem about female empowerment, the singer declares herself as a "Whole Lotta Woman" and challenges the men to "accept it or walk away". The song was inspired by a conversation Clarkson had with Andrews and Coney on the hardships of being a financially secure woman looking for a man after internalizing the paradoxes of growing up with the conservative values of the Southern United States, as well as women's appearance being a constant topic of discussion among observers in the entertainment industry. Putting a "fun twist" on the discussion, the songwriters wrote its lyrics as allusion to the size of her waistline, her attitude, her self-worth and her mouth using references to Southern cuisine. Select members of the American soul band Earth, Wind & Fire, led by bass player Verdine White, performed throughout the song.

Clarkson premiered the song in a live performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on the week of the album's release. She has also performed the track on The Late Late Show with James Corden's Carpool Karaoke segment and the 2018 Billboard Music Awards. In celebration of the 2018 International Day of the Girl Child, Clarkson performed "Whole Lotta Woman" in a special presentation on The Today Show to launch the Global Girls Alliance educational campaign of former United States first lady Michelle Obama.

Composition and recording

"Whole Lotta Woman" was written by Clarkson with producers Jussifer (Jussi Karvinen), Novawav (Denisia Andrews & Brittany Coney), Fade Majah (Evon Barnes Jr.), and Jesse Shatkin.^[2] In a feature on Rolling Stone, Clarkson commented that the song stemmed from a conversation she had with the Novawav duo in a session in Los Angeles.^[3] She recalled, "It was really fun to talk to them about how it took me awhile to fall in love because I am a whole lot of woman – I have a big personality. I'm a grown-ass woman that can pay her bills, and I make a lot of money. That's intimidating."^[3] Clarkson, who grew up in Texas, remarked in a profile on The New York Times that the song's inspiration came from the challenges of being a financially secure woman looking for a man after internalizing the paradoxes of growing up in the South, where she described that women are being told, "We want to educate you and we want you to be intelligent, but not too intelligent to where you're intimidating; we want you to be beautiful, but not too sexy to where you're a slut; we want you to be successful but not so successful that you make someone feel uncomfortable.”^[4] As a female pop singer, Clarkson has expressed frustration with her appearance being derided as a constant topic of discussion among observers for years as well as the way women's looks get picked over by people in the entertainment industry, which led her to write a song that said "Yeah, you're right, I am a whole lot of woman, and it's OK. I came with a brain, and I came with drive and passion and sensuality, and these things that are awesome. If you can't handle it, that's totally cool, but you're not tall enough to ride this ride, then move along. It's fine." We put a fun twist on it."^[3]

Select members of the American soul band Earth, Wind & Fire, led by bass player Verdine White (pictured), were invited by Atlantic Records chairman Craig Kallman to play on the track's recording sessions.^[3]

Musically, "Whole Lotta Woman" is an anthem^[5] that utilizes a bass-heavy groove and lyrics which allude to the size of her waistline, her attitude, her self-worth and her mouth using references to Southern cooking and singer Tina Turner.^[4][6] Maura Johnston of Rolling Stoned described its music as recalling of "classic soul anthems like "Respect" while also having the pop of Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation­-era output like "Black Cat"."^[3] Craig Kallman, CEO of Atlantic Records who executive produced the album with Clarkson, personally commissioned the horn section of Earth, Wind & Fire, along with bass player Verdine White, to performed during the song's recording session.^[3]

Critical reception

In a feature on The New York Times, Caryn Ganz described the song as a "feisty throwdown" and a centerpiece to Meaning of Life.^[4] Stacey Leasca of Glamour also highlighted the track as their favorite selection from the album.^[7] Idolator's Mike Wass also referred it as one of the album's highlights.^[8] Reviewing the album for The Atlantic, Spencer Kornhamer wrote that the song verges on "the edge of feeling like costume play—but Clarkson connects the revival-church sound to her biography, playing up her Texan bona fides." and praised its outro as "fascinating, mutating into a trap breakdown but with women singing that style's "hey" rhythm like doo-wop."^[6] Glenn Gamboa of Newsday observed that Clarkson looks to innovate as "she takes a throwback soul arrangement to the song and adds intricate, current R&B phrasing and lyrics like 'I'm a strong, bad-ass chick with classic confidence' to create something new".^[9]

Los Angeles Times's Michael Wood noted that she lays out the makings of a "badass chick with classic confidence" in the song, but ends up with a "pile of Southern clichés" and added that it plays like a female answer to "Boys 'Round Here" by Blake Shelton.^[10] Hannah Davies of The Guardian wrote that song feels like "a filler", and described its body-positive pop music as sticking a little too closely to the Meghan Trainor mould.^[11] Whereas Spin's Katherine St. Asaph wrote the the song's lyrics felt "forced", and described it as "where soul becomes vaguely appropriative, sub-Austin Powers caricature".^[12]

Live performances

Clarkson presented "Whole Lotta Woman" in a performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on October 31, 2017 to promote the album's release.^[13] She also filmed a "Nashville Sessions" performance of the song at the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville, Tennesse, which was released on November 2, 2017.^[7] Clarkson has also showcased it on the Carpool Karaoke segment of the The Late Late Show with James Corden and the 2017 Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve,^[14][15] and in live performances at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards and the iHeartRadio Music Festival.^[16][17] On October 11, 2018, in celebration of the 2018 International Day of the Girl Child, Clarkson performed the song in a special presentation on The Today Show to help the launch of the Global Girls Alliance educational campaign by former United States first lady Michelle Obama.^[18]

Personnel

Credits lifted from the album's liner notes.^[2]

Charts

See also

• Media and gender § Body image
• Women in music
• Women's empowerment

References

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics