#ItGetsBetter pop has certainly had its moment in the sun: Remember that endless hit parade of self-empowerment anthems from two years ago? Ke$ha‘s “We R Who We R,” Katy Perry‘s “Firework,” P!nk‘s “Fuckin Perfect,” Selena Gomez‘s “Who Says?” and of course, Lady Gaga‘s “Born This Way.” It grew dull rather quickly—but if there’s any artist that I’d still welcome some words of encouragement from, it’s the one and only Idol and “Just Missed The Train” chanteuse, Queen Kelly Clarkson.
“People Like Us” is the final song to be lifted from Kellegend’s greatest hits compilation Greatest Hits: Chapter One, co-penned by Meghan Kabir, Sixx:A.M.‘s James Michael and Blair Daly and produced by the almighty Greg Kurstin.
The song is essentially the punkier twin sister of Clarkslay’s international smash”(What Doesn’t Kill You) Stronger” (also produced by Kurstin)—a fists aloft, defiantly bold middle finger to the haters that try to bring us down.
“We come into this world unknown/But know that we are not alone,” she declares almightily in the song’s opening seconds. “They try and knock us down/A change is coming…it’s our turn now.” CHILLS FOREVER.
Between the yelping, singalong-ready hooks (“It’s hard to get high when you’re living on the bottom!”–#BOTTOMANTHEM), that surging beat and the almighty chant (“Oh-oh-WHOA-oh!”), Clarkson and Kurstin (Klurstin?) went straight for the Top 40 guttural with “People Like Us.” It really only takes a single listen–nah, maybe even just the very first verse-chorus–to have this one firmly lodged tight in the brain for hours on end.
If “People” doesn’t top the Top 40 come April, I’ll eat my copy of My December.
TURN IT UP LOUD WHEN THE FLAMES GET HIGHER.
