Summer Music Preview

Simon Defends Kelly

The ''Idol'' judge tells EW in no uncertain terms that Clarkson's earned the right to call the shots on her new CD, ''because Kelly will be here for 30 years''

Simon Cowell | COWELL ''You just gotta say, 'You know what? This girl has given us millions and millions of sales.' You've got to give her that opportunity.''
Image credit: HIP/Retna
COWELL ''You just gotta say, 'You know what? This girl has given us millions and millions of sales.' You've got to give her that opportunity.''

SIMON COWELL: ''Kelly is not a puppet; she does not like to be told what to do. She could have gone the easy route, which is, you go with ['Since U Been Gone' producer] Max Martin — it's a guaranteed success. She made it absolutely clear that she wanted to steer the musical direction on this record. You just gotta say, 'You know what? This girl has given us millions and millions of sales.' You've got to give her that opportunity. If it works out, fantastic. If she then decides she wants to do a pop album, every good writer and producer wants to work with her. Because Kelly will be here for 30 years. She has one of the best pop voices in the world right now. What she sold in the U.K., Europe, Asia had nothing to do with American Idol. It had everything to do with the fact that she made a great record and she's got an incredible voice. She's not a girl who got lucky in a talent competition; we got lucky to find her.''

Click here to see what Kelly Clarkson has to say to EW about her controversial new CD, My December.

Originally posted May 14, 2007

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