What is the Meaning of Life?

I was honored to be selected by Atlantic Records & The Mom It Forward Influencer Network to be a blogger for the Kelly Clarkson Meaning Of Life Campaign. I was given a digital copy to listen to and I am being compensated for this post. All of the opinions stated herein are mine and mine alone, but rest assured, the only reason I agreed to be part of this, is because I love Kelly Clarkson and I felt it was an honor to be included in this cause. With that, I hope you'll keep reading.

My dad passed away in 2003.  I miss him everyday, but he left a legacy for me and my family that we will always remember.  Whenever he saw us, he asked: "What's the meaning of life?" He was known for it far and wide. Aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews remember being asked at every family gathering. Friends remember insightful conversations that began with my father asking this question.  It was a common theme at his memorial service.  Many family members and friends came up to me at the service and expressed how this question, and my father, shaped their life. He didn't just share it with friends and family, he'd ask strangers on the street and fellow shoppers in the grocery store line.  It was both awesome and awful at the same time.

Perhaps that history explains why I was specifically drawn to Kelly Clarkson's new album Meaning of Life.  I've been a Kelly Clarkson fan since she walked into see the judges on American Idol.  She's kept my attention for over a decade with her powerful voice and the passion that she puts into her craft.  On the last season of American Idol when she sang "Piece by Piece" live on stage she was overcome with emotion.  I cried then, just as I cry now every time it comes on the radio.  Her ability to raise emotions in her listeners is her gift.  Over the years I have felt with her heart broken, independent, deep love and confidence.  She has a gift.

Meaning of Life is fun and new, with the same Kelly Clarkson we have loved forever.  Her voice is perfect and full, her songs and lyrics are meaningful, witty and deep.  She has the same alternative, pop-rock feel but this time she's added a flare of Hip Hop mixed with the occasional power ballad (my fave!)The song Love So Soft(the album's single) is fun and peppy.  It's got a catchy tune and I find myself singing it long after the song has turned on the radio. Meaning of Life is more about love than my father's deep questions, but I love how she reminds us about relationships that change us. I love the power ballads Cruel and Would You Call That Love. But honestly, my favorite part of this album is that when I put #meaningoflife in social media, she has her own emoji that comes up.  My social media heart soars right along with her music.

So, perhaps you need a gift for yourself this holiday season, or perhaps you can give this as a gift, but whatever you do, listen to a little Kelly...And perhaps imagine if you met my dad at the grocery story.  How would you answer his earnest question, 'What's the meaning of life?

Check out the video I made about Kelly Clarkson's Meaning of Life album here.

For more information about the album, to listen to sample songs and more go here: https://atlantic.lnk.to/MeaningoflifeMb

Check out the Love So Soft Music Video here: