How Kelly Clarkson Has Reportedly Approached Parenting Her Kids After Ex Brandon Blackstock’s Death

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2025 was a difficult year for Kelly Clarkson. After some mysterious absences from her talk show and canceled performances led to speculation she might be leaving TV, she faced an even more heartbreaking situation: the unexpected death of her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, at age 48, following a private battle with cancer. Now, sources are sharing insights into how Clarkson has been handling parenting since his passing.

The holiday season can be especially difficult for people grieving a loss. According to a source, Kelly Clarkson has been prioritizing her children, River, 11, and Remington, 9, as they celebrate their first Christmas without their father. The source shared this information with People magazine.

Kelly is understandably devastated for her children, as losing their father is a deeply painful and confusing experience. However, she’s a remarkably strong person. She faces reality head-on and is determined to provide a stable and loving environment for them during this difficult time.

Kelly Clarkson has been managing a lot lately, but it’s understandable that her kids are still her main focus, according to a source.

[Her] focus is to be present for her kids. She’s a great mom.

As a big Kelly Clarkson fan, it was really sad to see her marriage to Brandon Blackstock fall apart. They got married back in 2013, but after seven years, she filed for divorce in 2020. Honestly, the next few years were just tough to watch, with a lot of public battles over things like money she was owed, their property, and, most importantly, figuring out custody of their kids.

The music manager received a melanoma diagnosis in 2022, shortly after his divorce from Kelly Clarkson was finalized. This news is said to have deeply affected Clarkson, leading her to prioritize her children and allow them more opportunities to connect with family, such as traveling to Montana for gatherings.

She chose not to share details about her ex-husband’s health issues with others, wanting to maintain a respectful atmosphere, particularly around their children, River and Remington, so they could continue to have a good relationship with their father.

Kelly Clarkson is back at work and her busy schedule. It’s unclear if or how her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock’s recent passing will be acknowledged on the upcoming season of The Voice, where she’ll be a coach alongside Adam Levine and John Legend. Her absence reportedly caused delays in filming, and it’s not known if anyone temporarily filled in for her.

Brandon Blackstock had ties to the show The Voice through his relationship with Reba McEntire – he was her stepson – and because he previously managed Blake Shelton. Carson Daly shared that everyone involved was close to Blackstock and were doing what they could to support both McEntire and Kelly Clarkson.

It wasn’t obvious to viewers if the recently completed Season 28—which was filmed at the same time as Season 29—was impacted by anything, although Reba McEntire became very emotional and cried after one performance, revealing she had lost her oldest son to cancer.

It’s great to know Kelly Clarkson is focusing on supporting her children through a challenging period. For those who want to see her on television, you can watch her daytime show, The Kelly Clarkson Show (check your local TV guide for times). She’ll also be returning as a coach on The Voice when Season 29 begins on February 23, 2026, at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on NBC. Episodes will also be available to stream the next day on Peacock.

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2026-01-05 02:38