Ever since Adele’s critically acclaimed 2011 album 21 took over our hearts and minds, the English powerhouse vocalist has kept the world not-so-patiently waiting for new music. And while her third album is reportedly in the works, she’s kept mum on the details, leaving us totally clueless about what’s in store.But thanks to some new insight from Kelly Clarkson, we may finally have a clue about the album’s sound — and it’s probably not what you’d expect.

In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal to promote her new album Piece By Piece, Clarkson revealed that she’s already made a country album that she hasn’t released yet.

“I love soulful Bonnie Raitt, Travis Tritt country. That’s my favorite,” she said. “I just love that vocal. [Country musicians] are the best story tellers. That’s how my record is going to sound.”

Sounds good! But it gets better — the “Heartbeat Song” singer then discussed fellow female artists who are also experimenting with new sounds and different genres, which was when the jaw-dropping news came out.

“One of the big problems in music, and I think it’s turning around — with Pink coming out with her thing she did with Dallas [Green], Lady Gaga is showcasing her voice and doing the more Broadway aspect, and even Adele I heard is doing something more country influenced with this next record — the more artists do that, the more open-minded people get and the less formulaic it will sound,” she continued.

So there we have it, folks. According to industry insider Clarkson, Adele’s next album will be “more country influenced.” It’s not a lot of info to latch onto, but we’ll take it.

Hmm…maybe Taylor Swift’s recent genre switch-up has left a gaping hole in Nashville that Adele’s trying to claim for herself? Whatever the reason, Adele is undeniably one of music’s most talented stars, so we’re sure whatever she’s working on will be nothing short of amazing. [MTV News]