Dr. Luke says 'My Life Would Suck Without You' could come out in December or January.
By Gil Kaufman

Kelly Clarkson
Photo: Sergio Dionisio/ Getty Images

While original "American Idol" superstar Kelly Clarkson has been dipping her toe into the country world lately, it appears that she's not going all Carrie Underwood on her upcoming fourth album. According to uber-pop producer Dr. Luke, Clarkson is prepping a new single with the catchy-titled "My Life Would Suck Without You," which could take the singer back to the pop sweet spot she missed in her controversial, harder-edged third album, My December.

Though the album doesn't have a title or release date yet, Luke (born Lukasz Gottwald), recently told EW.com that "Suck" could be out as early as December and that it doesn't have the country twang some had predicted.

EW.com speculated that based on the title and the production team behind it — which also includes Luke's "Since U Been Gone" collaborator, Max Martin — the song could be seen as a sequel to Clarkson's 2004 signature hit. Luke said he started writing the new single with Martin several years ago. "After 'Since U Been Gone,' we wrote all these songs for Kelly," Luke explained. "This one, which I think is the first single — we had the chorus a while ago and added the verse more recently."

While Luke would love to see the song out in December, he said January might be more likely. A spokesperson for Clarkson's label could not be reached for comment at press time. According to EW.com, a rep for the singer said a single has not yet been chosen.

Luke said that Clarkson has emerged from the funk over December thanks to her new manager, the husband of new BFF Reba McEntire, and she had total confidence in the studio during the sessions for the new album.

"It's sick. She sings a song in two hours and kills it," he said. "You're just like, 'Holy sh--.' She has powerful lungs. She's like the Lance Armstrong of vocal chords."

In late October, Clarkson blogged that she had finished the album and was very excited about it.

• Kelly Clarkson