Kelly Clarkson’s back on top and Selena Gomez recovers from surgery

Pop Corner: Track of the week is a soulful doo-wop shout-out from Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson: wails about how good her loving is
Kelly Clarkson: wails about how good her loving is

 TRACK OF THE WEEK

Love So Soft by Kelly Clarkson

Like autumn's golden leaves and crisp breezes, we didn't know how much we missed Kelly Clarkson until she came back. Love So Soft is like a Meghan Trainor song given a fishing supply shop's worth of welly. Kelly wails about how good her loving is, with a doo-wop background, all the while warning that she isn't anybody's fool: "If you protect me and respect me, I'll let you close." Oh, and she looks banging in the video.

HERO OF THE WEEK

Selena Gomez, who explained in an Instagram post that she was recovering from a kidney transplant. "I'm very aware some of my fans had noticed I was laying low for part of the summer and questioning why I wasn't promoting my new music, which I was extremely proud of. So I found out I needed to get a kidney transplant due to my lupus and was recovering. It was what I needed to do for my overall health. I honestly look forward to sharing with you, soon my journey through these past several months as I have always wanted to do with you. Until then I want to publicly thank my family and incredible team of doctors for everything they have done for me prior to and post-surgery."

JESSIE YAY

Meanwhile, Jessie J told Billboard that she’s more sure of herself as an artist now. “I’m more sure of what I stand for now and not as afraid, I’m more fearless even though I probably seemed more fearless back then. Now I allow my inner strength to do the talking.”

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ZERO OF THE WEEK

One Direction's first live show, as Niall Horan told the BBC.  "I never want to talk about that gig again. Worst night of my life. The worst One Direction show ever. We've refused to talk about it ever since … It was a disaster. We were just a joke. Anything we rehearsed just went out the window. It was our first ever gig and we just didn't know what the f*** was going on."