Kelly Clarkson to Release New Single in January

Kelly's road to fame has been anything but smooth, the starlet having recently gone through a very rough patch, both in terms of her music career and of the way she was treated by the media. Moreover, while her 2007 "My December" was a critical and commercial flop, rumor has it now that the "original American Idol" is poised to make a splashing comeback in the year to come.

"The songbird is set to launch a new single, 'My Life Would Suck Without You,' in January, followed by a new album dropping in March. This comes nearly a year after her fourth album was rumored to debut. Tracks from that attempt were leaked and the recording was abandoned as Clarkson went on tour with Reba McEntire." E! Online reports, citing reliable sources from the music industry.

Kelly Clarkson, who earned her fame by winning the first season of popular talent show American Idol, was then taken by record boss Clive Davis "under his wing," him also being the man behind Whitney Houston's groundbreaking success. After two successful albums, one of which performed considerably better than anyone could have anticipated, Kelly and Davis had a public fallout, which is also believed to have been the cause for the flop of "My December."

As if all this wasn't enough, America's former sweetheart also fell with the fans and the media that, until then, had her back all along. Repeatedly criticized for her ballooning weight and the way she dressed for public appearances (reportedly refusing to hire a personal stylist), Kelly's music and shows would obstinately not sell. At the same time, her statements made it clear for the fans that she was, indeed, "biting the hand that had fed her," turning against both Davis and the record company, but also against the image they had built for her, and for which fans had come to love her.

All these being said, the question the publication that first reported on this, E! Online, asks - "Since Kelly Clarkson's been gone, have you missed her?" - makes all the sense in the world. Even with heavy promotion, and Kelly's unquestionable talent and powerful voice, this rumored upcoming album could still fail. But we'll just have to wait until January for a preview of this, and until March to get confirmation.