Last summer, singer/songwriter Claude Kelly told Billboard.com he hoped to work with Kelly Clarkson in the future. Six months later, not only has he penned the pop singer’s latest single, “My Life Would Suck Without You,” off her upcoming “All I Ever Wanted” album slated for a March 17 release via RCA, but he’s also broken a Billboard record as the track jumps 97-1 on the Hot 100 this week, making the largest leap to No. 1 in the history of the chart.
“This is a huge deal for me. I’m beyond words,” the 28-year-old New York native tells Billboard.biz about his latest accomplishment. “I feel very accomplished and relieved to know that hard work definitely pays off. It hasn’t been an overnight thing for me. [My manager] Make and I have been working on this music thing for years, and for it to explode this way feels amazing.”
“My Life Would Suck Without You” was co-written with writer/producer Max Martin (Britney Spears) and songwriter Dr. Luke (Katy Perry). “Max had an idea of some of the concepts. They came up with the music, Max threw some ideas at me, and then they threw me in the mix, and that’s how all the pieces came together,” explains Kelly.
This is the second song Kelly’s written that’s on the top 10 of the Hot 100 this week, as Britney Spears’ “Circus,” which he also co-wrote, sits at No. 10. The track peaked at No. 3 last month.
Coming up, Kelly says he has four songs on Chrisette Michele’s and Corbin Bleu’s upcoming albums, both slated for an early spring release. As well, he’s been in the studio with Toni Braxton, Unique, Ryan Tedder, R. Kelly (“Expect a creative, soulful, classic R. Kelly record,” says Kelly) and Leona Lewis, who is currently prepping her sophomore project.
In addition, Claude adds Jennifer Hudson — who he worked with on her debut last year although none of the tracks made the album — is in the works to re-release her self-titled debut which will most likely include some of his tracks that didn’t make the initial cut.
