Kelly Clarkson Put Her Children First After Brandon Blackstock’s Death — And Says Leaving Her Talk Show Gave Them the Time They Needed

Kelly Clarkson has spent the past year helping her two children cope with the death of their father, Brandon Blackstock — a loss that reportedly reshaped nearly every part of her life.

Blackstock died on Aug. 7, 2025, at age 48 after battling melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer, for more than three years.

Now, one year later, a source says Clarkson’s biggest priority has been making sure daughter River, 12, and son Remington “Remy,” 10, have the support and stability they need while grieving.

“It’s been an incredibly emotional year for Kelly and the kids,” an insider told Page Six.

“Losing a parent at such a young age is something no child should ever have to go through.”

Clarkson has focused on giving River and Remy space to grieve

According to the source, Clarkson has tried to be present for her children without forcing them to process the loss in any particular way.

“Kelly has done everything she can to be there for River and Remy as they’ve navigated that loss,” the insider said.

“Her 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.”

The past year has reportedly changed Clarkson’s outlook as well.

Although she still experiences difficult moments, the source said the 44-year-old singer is now in a stronger place than she was during the years surrounding her divorce from Blackstock.

“This past year has given Kelly a different perspective,” the insider said.

“She still has moments that are incredibly hard, but she’s in a much better place than she was during the divorce years.”

Clarkson and Blackstock endured a difficult divorce

Clarkson filed for divorce from Blackstock in June 2020 after nearly seven years of marriage.

Their split became highly publicized as the former couple entered lengthy legal disputes involving custody of their two children, spousal support and Clarkson’s Montana ranch.

Clarkson was awarded primary custody of River and Remy in November 2020.

The divorce was eventually settled in March 2022, and Blackstock was ordered to leave the Montana property by June of that year.

Despite the difficult end to their marriage, Blackstock remained the father of Clarkson’s children, making his death an especially painful experience for River and Remy.

Brandon Blackstock died after a three-year cancer battle

Blackstock, a former talent manager, died peacefully while surrounded by family.

At the time, his family confirmed his death in a statement.

“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” a representative said.

“Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years.”

The statement continued: “He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family.”

The family also asked for privacy while they dealt with the loss.

Clarkson’s career choices began shifting toward her children

In the months following Blackstock’s death, Clarkson made one of the biggest professional decisions of her career.

In February, she announced that the current season of The Kelly Clarkson Show would be its last after seven seasons.

Clarkson explained that stepping away from the demands of a daily daytime program would allow her to devote more time to River and Remy.

According to the source, that flexibility became especially important after everything the family had experienced.

“Stepping away from her daytime show wasn’t an easy decision because she genuinely loved it,” the insider said.

“But it gave her the time and flexibility she needed to put her family first.”

Being more present for her children became the priority

For Clarkson, leaving the talk show reportedly was not about walking away from her career altogether.

Instead, it was about restructuring her work so she could be more available as a mother.

“Looking back, she knows it was the right decision,” the source said.

“Being more present for her kids during such a difficult chapter has meant everything to her.”

Clarkson herself reflected warmly on her time with The Kelly Clarkson Show when announcing its end.

“I have been extremely fortunate to work with such an outstanding group of people at ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show,’ both in Los Angeles and New York,” she wrote.

She also thanked the band, crew, guests, fans and NBC for supporting the program throughout its seven-season run.

The talk show is ending, but Clarkson is not stepping away from music

Although her daytime television chapter is coming to an end, Clarkson has continued pursuing projects that allow her greater flexibility.

The source said she is excited to be making music again and enjoying her Las Vegas residency.

Returning to The Voice has also reportedly felt like a better fit for this stage of her life.

“She’s 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.

Clarkson’s summer Las Vegas residency runs through Aug. 15.

She also released a new single, “I’d Be Lyin’,” on July 17.

A difficult year has brought a different perspective

The past several years have included a painful divorce, prolonged legal battles and now the death of the father of Clarkson’s children.

But according to the source, those experiences have also changed the way she thinks about her time, career and family.

Rather than maintaining the exhausting schedule of a daily talk show, Clarkson has chosen work that gives her more freedom to remain close to River and Remy.

Her professional life is continuing, but on different terms.

And after a year defined by grief, the insider says Clarkson’s focus remains clear: giving her children the safest and most supportive environment possible as they continue learning how to live with the loss of their father.