Tie It Up

"Tie It Up" was written by Ashley Arrison, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne. It marked Clarkson's second solo country single and her third as a main act, following the country reissue of "Mr. Know It All" (2012), and "Don't Rush" (2012). It was released as a digital download on June 25, 2013 worldwide, making it her first country single to receive an international release.[2] It was sent exclusively to country radio stations on July 5, 2013 by Columbia Nashville, making it her second release under the "Columbia" brand.[3] On the photo cover of the single, Clarkson's real life fiancé (now ex-husband), Brandon Blackstock, is on the other side of the picture, but only his hand can be seen.[4]

"Tie It Up" is a country blues song[1] about marriage proposals and wedding plans.[5] It opens with an "I Love Rock 'n' Roll"-style guitar loop, with Clarkson singing the tale of spotting her groom across a room, it then interpolates to a chorus where she invites him to set the date, hire a band, and ultimately inviting him to "tie it up", accompanied by a sound of wedding bells.[6] Amy Sciarretto of PopCrush remarked that even though the song had twanged-out guitars and groove, it's not quite a full-on country jam", describing it as "a ballsy rocker, full of hand-on-the-hip sass". She also noted that Clarkson's voice is "big and soulful, that's why this song doesn't feel, well, married to one genre", and compared it to a "mid-'90s Alanis Morissette."[5]

Andy Scott of Celebuzz described "Tie It Up" as the anti-"Single Ladies", writing that the song "takes on the melody of "You Oughta Know" (kind of, but much more positive) as it tells the story of a woman who really, really, really wants to set the date".[7] Sam Lansky of Idolator wrote that the song "may not be a mainstream radio smash, but it sounds like the kind of thing that'll go over pretty well in the heartland (probably better than, say, "Hole")."[6]

Following its release as a single, "Tie It Up" entered the Billboard Country Airplay chart at number 52 on the week ending July 6, 2013.[8] For the chart week ending July 13, 2013 it entered the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart at number 12 with sales of 29,000 downloads.[9][10] The same week it debuted at number 33 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.[11] Internationally, it peaked at number 79 in Canada and at number 3 in South Korea.[12][13]

Clarkson first performed "Tie It Up" at the 2013 CMA Music Festival, which aired in the United States on ABC on August 12, 2013.[1][22] She performed it live at the Stadium of Fire on July 4, 2013.[23] She also performed it on The View on October 9, 2013.[24]

Digital download – single[2]