Background

In “Breakaway”, Kelly Clarkson sings about feeling like no one could hear her. But the world heard loud and clear. And since then, she’s spread her wings and learned how to fly.

“Breakaway” served as the lead single for the The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement Soundtrack. It became so popular that Kelly named her entire second album after it. Avril Lavigne, Bridget Benenate and Matthew Gerrard wrote the song, while John Shanks served as the primary producer.

But I Won’t Forget of the Place I Come From

“Breakaway” is a reminder that some musicians are not just messengers or visual representations of record labels or groups. They are amazing vocalists, yes. But some are terrific songwriters as well. They do that job well for their own hit singles, but they’re also capable of crafting art for others.

Kelly Clarkson is a talented vocalist and songwriter. But I am not talking about her. In this instance, I’m referring to Avril Lavigne.

Avirl co-wrote “Breakaway”. She’s also received writing credits for her work on the discography of other artists. These include but are not limited to Leona Lewis’ track “I Will Be” or Rihanna’s single “Cheers (Drink to That)”). She’s amazing onscreen but also behind the scenes.

Gotta Keep Moving On, Moving On

The success of “Breakaway” validated American Idol as a legitimate way to find a long-term superstar. Kelly Clarkson broke through with her first album (Kelly Clarkson) and her first singles (“A Moment Like This”, “Miss Independent” and “The Trobule with Love is”). In a way, that was written in the stars. The reality TV show got so gigantic that they were able to consistently launch coronation singles from their crowned singers to debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. That happened with the likes of Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, and even Taylor Hicks.

But winners of singing competitions have different trajectories, especially years after the momentum has gone. Medium and long-term success are highly artist dependent. Kelly Clarkson avoided a sophomore slump. In fact, she outdid her debut. What started out as a soundtrack single ended up representing her life journey up until that point. She included the song in her second album and named the entire record after it.

It tells the story of a girl in a small town who dreams of something different, takes a “leap of faith,” and eventually makes it, while promising never to forget her “roots”.

I’ll Spread My Wings and I’ll Learn How to Fly

“Breakaway” tells the story of a girl in a small town who dreams of something different, takes a leap of faith, and eventually makes it, while promising never to forget her roots. I could relate… I left the Philippines, my home country. I aspired for success in the corporate world. And I embrace my roots as I represent my country in the two other nations I’ve lived in – Singapore and the Netherlands.

I don’t get emotional listening to the song. But I can definitely relate to its sentiment. The song can be just about any step we take in going out of our comfort zone. I heard that graduations used “Breakaway” a lot. The thought of embracing change and leaving what we’re used to is an adventure most people relate to. And Kelly Clarkson provided us an anthem to get through the times.

Conclusion

The story of “Breakaway” is one we can relate to. Our paths are not pre-destined. We can always take a risk, take a chance, and make a change.

And Kelly did those three by recording a track written by another artist. That choice cemented her longevity, defined her artistry outside of Idol, and made many of us, including myself, a fan.