Kelly Clarkson has been privately experiencing hard moments while supporting her children following the death of her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, one year ago. The 44-year-old singer has continued performing at her Las Vegas residency while helping her daughter River, 12, and son Remington, 10, cope with their loss.
Clarkson married Blackstock, the son of her manager, in 2013. Blackstock later became her manager before their marriage collapsed in 2020, triggering a bitter legal battle before their divorce was finalized in 2022. He died last August at age 48 following a secret battle with skin cancer, and Clarkson was among those who attended his funeral.
On the first anniversary of his death, a source shed light on how Clarkson has cared for her children during what has been an emotional year. "Losing a parent at such a young age is something no child should ever have to go through. Kelly has done everything she can to be there for River and Remy as they’ve navigated that loss," an insider told Page Six. The Daily Mail contacted Clarkson's representative for comment.
The source added that her primary focus has been "making sure they feel loved, supported and as stable as possible while giving them the space to grieve in their own way." Clarkson has developed "a different perspective" over the past year, and while she "still has moments that are incredibly hard, but she’s in a much better place than she was during the divorce years."
Focus on Family and Career
"She excited to be making music again, she’s having fun with the residency, and returning to The Voice feels like the right fit because it allows her to keep doing what she loves while also being the kind of mom she wants to be," the insider said. Ending her daytime series, The Kelly Clarkson Show, earlier this year "wasn’t an easy decision because she genuinely loved it, but it gave her the time and flexibility she needed to put her family first."
Life in Montana
Following news of Blackstock's death, his obituary revealed that he had struck up a romance with Clarkson's former assistant, Brittney Marie Jones. Jones and Blackstock settled into a quiet life in Butte, Montana, living in the mountains and running a rodeo in the nearby tourist destination of Bozeman.
"After more than 20 years in the music business, Brandon found his way back to the mountains and the cowboy way of life he always wanted to live," his obituary read.
Financial Settlement and Ranch Battle
The divorce between Clarkson and Blackstock involved a rancorous legal battle over custody, finances, and their $17.7 million ranch in Montana. Clarkson obtained primary custody of Remington and River, moving with them to New York City from Los Angeles.
The Since U Been Gone singer was ordered to pay Blackstock a lump sum of $1.3 million, along with $115,000 in monthly alimony until January 31, 2024, and $45,000 in monthly child support until their children reach adulthood. Meanwhile, Clarkson sued Blackstock for allegedly making unauthorized deals on her behalf, leading to an order for him to reimburse her $2.6 million.
The lawsuit focused on commissions he took for her work on The Voice, the Billboard Music Awards, Norwegian Cruise Line, and her Wayfair partnership. A ruling determined Blackstock was within his rights as manager to negotiate for her on The Kelly Clarkson Show, but the other contracts should have been brokered by her agents under California's Talent Agencies Act.
The former couple also waged a lengthy battle over the Montana ranch. Blackstock was ordered to leave the property in 2022 but eventually secured a 5 percent share. In the year after the divorce was finalized, Clarkson released her breakup album, Chemistry, detailing the "good, the bad and the ugly" of their marriage.
Reflections on Divorce Tension
Following Blackstock's death, a source told the Daily Mail that Clarkson had wondered whether the strain of their divorce affected his health. "Kelly is aware of talk that stress can impact the body and make someone more susceptible to cancer," an insider said.
"Although the timing could be purely coincidental, she knows how much tension the divorce and lawsuits put on them," the source explained. The insider clarified that Clarkson "doesn't blame herself," but remains "conscious that the double whammy of the divorce and the fact that he had to repay her millions of dollars was very tough on him."
