Kelly Clarkson just revealed a sad bombshell about her divorce from ex-husband Brandon Blackstock—and fans are calling the admission “heartbreaking”.
The singer, who was speaking candidly on a recent episode of Glennon Doyle’s We Can Do Hard Things podcast, told the host that her children “are just really adamant about keeping that dream alive that we might still be together,” despite the fact that her and ex Brandon “are never around each other.” We’re getting serious Parent Trap vibes here!
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Kelly Clarkson Kept It Real On Podcast In Frank Discussion About Divorce And Family
The Kelly Clarkson Show host was refreshingly honest in her podcast interview, which dove deep into the subject of her divorce, the journey to making the choice to separate, and how it has all impacted her children.
Kelly filed from divorce from husband and then-manager Brandon Blackstock after seven years of marriage in 2020, citing irreconcilable differences. The couple has two children: River Rose, 9, and Remington Alexander, 7. The superstar recalled how she grew up seeing her mother choose to stay in a difficult marriage rather than choosing to divorce: "Watching my mother in two different marriages, there’s things you pick up on even as a kid that you’re like, 'this is unhealthy, an unhealthy environment to live in,'" she confessed, saying that it was this experience that led her to take the leap and file. "I would never want my daughter or son in this relationship," she said, of her own previous marriage. "I would hope for way better for them, and a far better kind of love."
The American Idol alum admitted that she feared how her children would react, but in the end, knew divorce was the healthiest course of action for her family—and herself. "You try so hard, like – I do not want to do that to her, I don't want to do that to him – that you start never thinking of yourself," said Kelly. Eventually, though, she felt "the tug of really needing to love yourself."
The Kids Still '[Keep The Dream Alive]' That Parents Will Reunite, Says Kelly
Like many young children of divorce, Kelly's kids appear to be holding out hope that their parents will get back together someday. "Anytime there’s mention of [Brandon] maybe being with somebody else they are just really adamant about keeping that dream alive that we might still be together," she told Glennon Doyle. But even despite the difficulty of dealing with these unrealistic expectations, the "My Life Would Suck Without You" singer has realized that it will be best for her family to stay the course. "I’m a better mother, like, after [the divorce]," Kelly acknowledged. "I’m a far better mother because I think when you’re honest with yourself, you’re able to be honest with others. But sometimes you don’t know you’re lying to yourself...Love is tricky. It really convinces you that you’re doing the right thing. It’s just a really hard thing when you love someone so deeply to have the right answer."
The divorce process was famously difficult, due to legal actions including a property battle, a labor dispute over Blackstock's management fees, and a fight for primary custody of the children, which the talk show host was awarded in November 2020. However, Kelly still has hopes for the future, and hasn't given up on romance, nor the inherent goodness of people: "It’s a beautiful thing to see potential in people, and it’s also a beautiful thing to like, not give up," she said.
