Kelly Clarkson is officially reclaiming her power, and we couldn't be happier for the pop star. The 41-year-old opened up for her cover story with People magazine about dealing with depression and getting through her divorce and finding her power again.
According to the singer, there's one memory that made her realize how much she had it in her. It was in August 2023 when her children, 9-year-old River Rose and 7-year-old Remington Alexander, joined her onstage at her Las Vegas residency. “They were a little nervous, but it was their idea, not mine,” she explained.
River sang a duet to her mom's hit, "Heartbeat Song." Remington danced backup while his mom sang “Whole Lotta Woman.”
“I was like, ‘I feel like how you’re looking at me is how you watch Spider-Man,’” Kelly recalled of her kids watching her perform for the sold-out theater. “It caught me completely off guard, and it was the most magical moment because they were so happy and at ease. They were just in awe.”
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Her Vegas residency is named after her most recent album, which contains songs detailing the falling apart of her marriage to Brandon Blackstock. He was also her manager.
While talking about writing Chemistry, she explained, “I didn’t see it other than: This is my outlet. I’m a let-go person; I don’t hold grudges. So it was really delving into what happened in my life and why — and what am I going to do about it?”
“I cannot express how appreciative I feel for having that kind of healthy outlet," she continued. "Because the level of depression and things that come with divorce or grieving is extraordinarily hard. You feel alone, and it’s just a blessing to be able to have that outlet for those emotions that are overwhelming.”
Finally releasing the album “[was] like, ‘I’m taking my power back,’” she noted. “That sounds very therapy, but that’s because I love therapy, and I think it’s important to have those tools to navigate your life and relationships.”
Now, navigating life as a single mom, Kelly is thankful for the ability to start over. “Sometimes you don’t know what life has in store for you, and you think your life is going to go one way, and it’s OK that it doesn’t,” she said. “You never know how beautiful that might be.”
She and Brandon were married for nearly seven years. Their messy divorce caught the attention of many media outlets, but as of now, Kelly is focused on rebuilding her life and being the best mom she can be for her kids.
