The War Is Over

"The War Is Over" is a song by American recording artist Kelly Clarkson, from her fifth studio album, Stronger (2011). Written by Toby Gad and Olivia Waithe, and produced by Gad, "The War Is Over" is a ballad that tells of a resolute ending to a relationship between lovers, in which the woman, after seeing that their relationship is turbulent beyond repair, decides to walk away. Upon its release, "The War Is Over" received mixed to positive reviews from music critics, whose criticism targeted the song's lyrical content, but also complimented her somber vocal performance. Fueled by digital sales during Strongers release, the song entered South Korean Singles Chart at number 65. Clarkson has also performed it in limited live performances, primarily in select dates of her Stronger Tour. Background and release Originally titled "The War Is Over (You Don’t Deserve Me)", "The War Is Over" was written by Toby Gad and Olivia Waithe (better known by her stage name as Livvi Franc) and was produced by Gad. Gad first met Clarkson in 2010, in which he recalled, "She's a very strong survivor, and very organic and very real," he said. "You can connect with her on a very human level." Clarkson revealed that it was the first song to be recorded for her fifth studio album, Stronger, which was released in 2011. She explained: "It's actually one, I didn't write, but it's actually the first song we recorded for this record because everybody loved it. It tells a beautiful story that everybody relates to. Fans will come up to me and they'll be like, oh, I relate that my family or I relate that to an ex or I relate that to my sister in our relationship. Like, that song for me personally has a lot to do with the industry. I'm just going drown myself with people who have the same vision and the same goals as myself. I'm not going to recognize the bashing. I'm not going to recognize the negativity."