American Idol '07

May. 08, 2007 | 12:00 PM EDT

Kelly Clarkson's My December Gets July Release Date

Kelly Clarkson Photo by: Gregg DeGuire / WireImage

Kelly Clarkson fans can rest easy. Despite rumors that executives at RCA were so disappointed with her new music they decided to scrap the Idol's third album, My December will be released on July 24. Britain's the Daily Star reported that Sony BMG chief Clive Davis was "absolutely merciless in his criticism of Kelly" after he heard new tracks and decided to pull the plug on the singer's follow up to Breakaway, which sold six million copies.

But My December, produced by David Kahne, is back on track and pleasing critics.

A Los Angeles Times writer praised "the succulent, slightly dark timbre of [Clarkson's] alto" as well as "her ability to nail those shirt-ripping high notes."

"It is very aggressive," Clarkson told the paper. "And it might be too much. But I just needed to be able to make this record and not have so many hands in the cookie jar saying, 'Pull this string, pull that string.' I was like, 'Just give me this one thing, and I will make whatever record you want next time.' Now, I need this, for me."

Fans don't seem disappointed. The first single "Never Again" debuted last week at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

They will get to hear more new tracks like "Haunting," "Chivas," "Be Still," "One Minute" and "Sober" when Clarkson showcases her new material during a summer tour that begins July 11 in Portland, Ore., and runs through Sept. 26 in Los Angeles.