Kelly Clarkson, “Chemistry.”

The road to Chemistry was long for pop powerhouse Kelly Clarkson. Rising from the ashes of her divorce from Brandon Blackstock three years ago, the material on Clarkson’s latest record actually dates back to that time. She’d feared all of the promo that goes into releasing the record would simply be too much with the subject matter, and decided to sit on the material. With the break-up now in the rearview, Clarkson is ready to tell her story on her 10th album.

Clarkson co-wrote the majority of Chemistry, save for a pair of tracks. What’s not to question on the record is her vocal prowess. She remains one of the standout voices in pop. From soft and soulful balladry to powerful soaring anthems, her range and ability to deliver on just about anything put in front of her overmatch many of her peers.

“Can I skip this part when I fall to pieces?” she asks in the opening moments of “Skip This Part.” The track takes on quite a metamorphosis, starting the album off on dour note. It’s not what you’d expect from a Kelly Clarkson record. Starting symphonically, it slowly picks up steam and turns into an R&B-flavored pop ballad. Then the synths and vocal effects come in, turning the track into something from Breakaway but with an alt-pop twist.

Clarkson’s vocals are at the forefront on “Mine,” a spacious and ethereal ballad that shows of her wide range. Lyrically, the song reveals her rollercoaster of emotions, questioning how she got there while second-guessing herself along the way. The instrumentation is fairly sparse, leaving her to handle the heavy lifting. She’s called Chemistry a fusion of Breakaway and Stronger, and that’s quite evident on “High Road,” an upbeat pop rock track with a strong anthemic message. Kelly Clarkson is frustrated but introspective about the lessons she’s learned along the way.

Much like “Mine,” intensely personal ballad “Me” leaves the instrumentation in the background, letting her singing steal the show. Backed by a choir, she goes to church, offering up a soaring defiance and empowering message.

“I don’t need somebody to hold me/ Don’t need somebody to love me/ Don’t need somebody to pick these pieces up,” she declares.

The album pinballs back and forth in material, just like our feelings do after a break-up. The upbeat “Favorite Kind of High,” co-written by Carly Rae Jepsen, it’s a much happier song and actually feels like a throwback Kelly Clarkson anthem. The upbeat “Red Flag Collector” mixes a pop-rock energy with a horn section and some bluesy elements.

“I don’t mind, take what’s left/ High road livin’ is what I do best,” she declares Clarkson, a callback to an earlier moment on the record.

And her fate slowly begins to turn around on the dark but bouncy balladry of “Down to You,” an interesting song that sees Kelly Clarkson singing in a rhythmic cadence she’s never used before. It’s a fusion of her pop/rock roots with an R&B sensibility. Mid-tempo pop-rocker ‘Rock Hudson” captures the kiss-off sass that’s fueled some of her strongest material.

But intermixed with these are songs showing a frustration and sadness, such as the slower title track, an acoustic-led ballad that mixes in lush harmonies, as well as piano ballad”Lighthouse.”

“What good’s a lighthouse when the light is burning out?” she asks in her rawest vocal on the album.

The moody “My Mistake” sees Clarkson going on the offensive in the wake of her lost relationship.

Clarkson recruits some friends to close out the album: Steve Martin on banjo for “I Hate Love” and drummer Sheila E on “That’s Right.” Both add a welcome flair, fitting in with Clarkson’s sound while add their own flavor.

While the songs on Chemistry at times blend together, long-time Clarkson fans will find a lot to like. Her voice is stunning and the record taps into to some of the anthemic and personal moments, with which she excels.

Follow writer Mike DeWald at Twitter.com/mike_dewald.