Looking back at the year that just ended, 2025 was quite a tough one for Kelly Clarkson. Unexplained talk show absences and canceled concerts sparked rumors that the singer was looking to leave television, but the truth ended up being even worse. Brandon Blackstock, Clarkson’s ex-husband and the father of her two children, died at age 48 after a long, private battle with cancer. Now, a source has weighed in on how the singer has allegedly approached parenting since his passing.
The holidays can be rough for those who have experienced loss, and a supposed insider said that Kelly Clarkson has remained focused on her children as 11-year-old River and 9-year-old Remington marked their first Christmas without their father. The source told People:
Kelly is obviously heartbroken for her kids. Losing their dad is incredibly painful and confusing. But she’s also very grounded. She’s not someone who falls apart. She looks at life realistically and does everything she can to make things as steady and loving as possible for her kids.
Kelly Clarkson has had to balance a lot over the past year, but it makes sense that her top priority remains her children, as the insider continued:
[Her] focus is to be present for her kids. She’s a great mom.
Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock tied the knot in 2013 and were married seven years before the American Idol winner filed for divorce in 2020. The next couple of years were full of contention between the two as they fought over unpaid royalties, property and custody of their children.
The former music manager was diagnosed with melanoma in 2022, reportedly after he and Kelly Clarkson finalized their divorce that same year. The news allegedly changed her perspective, and insiders say she turned her focus toward her children then, too, allowing them to travel to Montana and attend family functions they typically might not have.
She also refrained from revealing her ex-husband’s diagnosis publicly and to keep things “classy,” especially in front of River and Remington, in order to ensure they had the best possible relationship with their father.
Kelly Clarkson has since returned to work and a more normal (read: hectic) schedule. It remains to be seen if or how Brandon Blackstock’s death will be addressed on The Voice Season 29, on which Clarkson will return to battle Adam Levine and John Legend. Crucial parts of the season were allegedly delayed by her absence, and it’s unknown if another coach was brought in as a replacement.
Brandon Blackstock had several connections to The Voice, as he was Reba McEntire’s stepson and also once served as Blake Shelton’s manager. Carson Daly said they all knew Blackstock well and were supporting McEntire and Kelly Clarkson however they could.
If the recently wrapped Season 28 — which taped simultaneously with Season 29 — was affected in any way, it wasn’t clear to viewers, though Reba McEntire did break down in tears after one emotional performance, saying she had lost her “oldest son” to cancer.
I’m just glad to hear that Kelly Clarkson is doing what she can to provide love and support for her kids during this difficult time. As for seeing her on TV, fans can catch her weekdays on The Kelly Clarkson Show (check local listings) and as one of The Voice coaches when Season 29 premieres on the 2026 TV schedule at 9 p.m. ET Monday, February 23, on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.
