Kelly Clarkson, I Dare You | Track Review

Grammy-winning pop superstar Kelly Clarkson, a bop unto herself, delivers another bop of song with the uplifting “I Dare You.”

It’s no secret – I’m a big Kelly Clarkson fan.  The Grammy-winning pop artist is a singer’s singer, period.  She returns in 2020 with a brand-new single, “I Dare You.” Not only does she release “I Dare You” as a solo single, she also releases five more versions as multi-language duets – pretty cool! For the purpose of this track review, I’ll only focus on the solo single which, unsurprisingly, is a bop.

Kelly Clarkson is a bop all by herself, and that’s the case on “I Dare You.” What I mean is, vocally, she’s at her best.  She delivers a balanced performance, exhibiting vocal finesse on the verses, giving a bit more oomph on the chorus, particularly as “I Dare You” progresses.  My favorite moment is when she digs in, showing off her powerhouse vocals in her upper register.  Again, she’s the biggest reason why “I Dare You” is a bop.  There are more, of course.

The songwriting is rock solid, placing emphasis on being unafraid to love as opposed to fear. This is uplifting to say the least. The best moment, of course, is the chorus:

“I dare you to love
Oh, I dare you to love
Even if you’re hurt and you can only see the worst
Even if you think it’s not enough
Oh, I dare you to love.”

Also, worth mentioning is the sound and production.  It’s a contrast from most of the records off of her last album, Meaning of Life, which had more soulful, R&B-tinged elements.  This is tried-and-true pop, with a hint of electronic cues thrown in, particularly the chorus.

Final Thoughts

As aforementioned, Kelly Clarkson is a bop, therefore, anything that Kelly makes is a bop.  Okay, that’s a generalization I guess but that’s the case here with “I Dare You.” All boxes are checked off – hot vocals, uplifting songwriting, and solid pop production (Jesse Shatkin).  Bop!

Kelly Clarkson • I Dare You (Multi-language Duets) • Atlantic • Release: 4.16.20

Photo Credit: Atlantic