Kelly Clarkson is back with a brand new single called "Love So Soft" that showcases the American Idol alum's powerful vocals. Oh, and her sass!

The lead track off her upcoming eighth studio album, Meaning of Life (Oct. 27), "Love So Soft" shows Clarkson's pipes alongside a striking horn section, hand-clapped rhythms and mesmerizing backing singers.

The soulful track brings to mind singers like Aretha Franklin and Adele, but with Clarkson's distinctive powerful belts and a throwback beat. "Love So Soft" is the first taste of her new music. Singing of wanting to get closer to a man, Clarkson says that she needs to know if he'll respect her and protect her if she lets him in.

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"Let me in / I wanna be closer to you / Let you under my skin," she sings. "If you want this love / Gotta hold it tight / Never let it go, baby / Let it give you light."

On Thursday (Sept. 7) she also dropped the colorful three-minute music video for "Love So Soft." The clip has Clarkson in several scenarios singing the song, including an open field while wearing a stunning yellow gown, at a club surrounded by dancers and in a beautiful home set at a cliff's edge.

Meaning of Life marks Clarkson's first album outside of her American Idol contract. As a result, she had total control of the project, and in a Q&A with fans on YouTube she raved about the album.

"This is the record I've wanted to make since I was a little kid," she shares.

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