Kelly Clarkson Collaborates with Steve Martin on New Song “i hate love”

Kelly Clarkson has joined forces with comedian (and sometimes musician) Steve Martin for a new song titled, “i hate love.”

Martin lends his banjo skills to the up-tempo number. Clarkson knocks it out of the park vocally singing, Why do you smell so good? / You know I love that cologne / Why do I want what I shouldn’t / Why can’t I leave it alone?

Along with the single release, Clarkson shared a live version of the track where she went more in detail about the inspiration behind the song.

She explained that the collaboration with Martin was inspired by a line in the song: The Notebook lied / It’s complicated, is more like what happens / So you can keep Gosling and I’ll take Steve Martin. The lyric references two different romantic movies on the opposite end of the mushy-gushy, rose-colored glasses spectrum.

“Has anyone seen ‘It’s Complicated’ with Meryl Streep and Steve Martin?” Clarkson asked the crowd at the Belasco Theatre. “It’s one of my favorite movies ever and it’s real life – not like that bullshit they sell you in The Notebook.”

After referencing the actor in the song, she asked him to hop on the track with her. Martin obliged. Check out the live version of “i hate love,” below.

“i hate love,” arrives ahead of Clarkson’s impending album, chemistry. The 14-track album has been three years in the making and will arrive on June 23.

“Having chemistry with someone is an incredible, and overwhelming, feeling. It’s like you have no choice in the matter,” Clarkson shared in a statement about the record. “You are just drawn to each other. This can be good, and bad. This album takes you down every path that chemistry could lead you down.”

“i hate love” follows the release of “favorite kind of high,” “me,” and “mine” which will also be included on the chemistry track list.

Brian Bowen Smith / Atlantic Records