Kelly Clarkson is a bit of a musical chameleon. Honestly, it’s kind of wild when you think about it. One minute she’s belting out a pop-rock anthem that defines an entire decade, and the next, she’s standing on a stage in Nashville sounding like she was born and raised in a hollow.
People always ask: "When is the Kelly Clarkson country song coming out?"
The truth? It’s already here. In fact, it’s been here for years, tucked away in duets, special editions, and those legendary "Kellyoke" segments that seem to go viral every other Tuesday. She doesn’t just "dip her toes" into country. She basically owns the water.
The Country Side of Chemistry and Beyond
If you’ve been paying attention to her 2023 album Chemistry or the deluxe tracks that followed into 2024 and 2025, you’ve heard the twang. It’s subtle, sure. But look at a track like "I Hate Love." She got Steve Martin—yes, that Steve Martin—to play banjo on it.
You don't put a world-class banjo player on a track if you aren't feeling those roots.
Then there’s "Red Flag Collector." It starts with this western saloon vibe, whistling and all, before it kicks into a rock gear. It’s that genre-blending that makes a country song Kelly Clarkson style so unique. She isn't trying to be Shania or Carrie. She's just being Kelly, who happens to be from Texas and grew up on a diet of Reba and Dolly.
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That Time She Countrified Sabrina Carpenter
Just recently, Kelly took Sabrina Carpenter's massive hit "Please Please Please" and completely flipped it. She didn't just cover it. She "Dolly-fied" it.
"Ever since I heard this song, for some reason I hear Dolly Parton singing it as well," Clarkson told her audience.
She asked her band to build a country arrangement, and suddenly, a synth-heavy pop track became a crooning, steel-guitar-heavy ballad. It’s a masterclass in how her brain works. She sees the "bones" of a song and realizes that a good melody doesn't care about genre labels.
Why Nashville Won't Let Her Go
Nashville loves Kelly. Like, really loves her.
She's the first artist in history to top the Billboard Pop, Adult Contemporary, Country, and Dance airplay charts. That isn't a fluke. It’s the result of carefully chosen collaborations that actually mean something.
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- "Don't You Wanna Stay" with Jason Aldean: This wasn't just a hit; it was a 2x Platinum juggernaut that stayed at No. 1 for weeks. It’s the gold standard for pop-country crossovers.
- "Don't Rush" featuring Vince Gill: A smoother, more traditional vibe that proved she could handle the "classic" sound without over-singing.
- "I'm Movin' On" with Rascal Flatts: This one is fresh. Released in early 2025 for the Life Is A Highway: Refueled Duets project, it’s a reimagining of the 2001 classic. Kelly takes the lead, and it’s arguably more heartbreaking than the original.
What's Happening Right Now?
As we move through 2026, the noise about a full-length Kelly Clarkson country album is getting louder again. She’s been doing "Country Resets"—taking time to focus on family and her residency while slowly sprinkling country covers into her show.
In January 2026, she opened the year with a gritty cover of "No One Else Like Me" by The Red Clay Strays. If you haven't heard it, go find the clip. It starts with a silky country twang and ends with her absolutely shredding her vocal cords in the best way possible.
She's also headed back to RodeoHouston in March 2022. It's her first time there in twenty years. For a Texas girl, that's like a homecoming.
The "Lost" Country Album
There’s a bit of lore among fans about the "lost" country album. Back in 2013 and again in 2015, Kelly explicitly said she was working on two projects at once: a pop record and a country one.
"I'm both people," she told Time.
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But life happened. Labels changed. Meaning of Life happened (which was incredible, by the way). The country project sort of morphed into various singles and "Kellyoke" performances. But the material is there. She’s written it.
How to Find "Country Kelly"
If you’re looking for a country song Kelly Clarkson has released that fits your mood, you sort of have to look at the "hidden" gems:
- The Heartbreak Twang: "I'm Movin' On" (Rascal Flatts Duet)
- The "Sass" Anthem: "Tie It Up" (Her 2013 standalone country single)
- The Gritty Rock-Country: "Red Flag Collector"
- The Traditional Cover: Her version of "Austin" with Blake Shelton
Honestly, her voice is built for this. There’s a rasp and a soul there that pop music sometimes tries to polish away, but country music embraces.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you want to keep up with Kelly’s country era, stop waiting for a traditional album announcement and start looking at her live performances.
- Check the "Kellyoke" archives: Search for her covers of Lainey Wilson, Keith Urban, or her Dolly Parton tribute. These are often the "test runs" for her studio sound.
- Watch the RodeoHouston clips: Her March 2026 appearance is expected to be heavy on the Texas-roots sound.
- Listen to the Refueled Duets: The Rascal Flatts collaboration is the most "country" she has sounded in years.
Kelly doesn't need to move to Nashville full-time to be a country star. She’s already proved that she can dominate the genre whenever she feels like picking up a guitar and leaning into that Texas soul.