Kelly Clarkson has enjoyed a career resurgence with her fifth album 'Stronger,' which yielded hits like 'Mr. Know It All,' 'What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)' and 'Dark Side.' She has just dropped the new single 'Catch My Breath' from her upcoming 'Greatest Hits' collection and we're instantly reminded of why we fell in love with and remain enamored by the original 'American Idol.'

'Catch My Breath' is a hooky, midtempo anthem, which is a style that has become the singer's specialty. The song is anchored by Clarkson's husky, belter's voice and the lyrical declarations about who she is and why. She lets it rip, singing about how she doesn't have time to let people hold her back.

It's her voice and the undulating beat that make this song a toe-tapper from the opening note to the closing one. The organic tone of Clarkson's voice is what prevents the song from sound too synthy or studio created, which is often an issue with pop songs. There is no trickery here; it's all Clarkson being a vocal diva.

Clarkson harmonizes with herself throughout the song and while she may be catching her breath, she is taking ours away with her range and the passion with which she sings. She hits her notes with a fire in her belly, and she imparts some serious soul into these lyrics -- which is likely due to the fact that it's an autobiographical song.

With the anthemic and empowered 'Catch My Breath' and several singles from 'Stronger,' Clarkson has emerged as the poster girl for beating the odds and staying strong no matter what life throws at you. She is able to be believable in that role since she is so girl-next-door. Plus her gorgeous voice is always front and center; she has been upfront about the fact that she is a singer, not a pop star, so all those image-driven bells and whistles fall away and her voice is what infests the senses.

When she sings "Catching my breath / Letting it go / Turning my cheek for the sake of the show / Now that you know / This is my life / I won’t be told what’s supposed to be right," the declaration is powerful and it's made even more potent thanks to Clarkson's smoky pipes.

Sounds like she has another hit on her hands.

loading...

Listen to Kelly Clarkson, 'Catch My Breath'

More From PopCrush