Kelly Clarkson divorces husband of seven years Brandon Blackstock over 'irreconcilable differences'
Kelly Clarkson has filed for divorce from husband Brandon Blackstock, a music manager, in Los Angeles on June 4, according to ET. 'The Voice' coach married Blackstock in October 2013 and they share two children — daughter River Rose, 5, and son Remington Alexander, 4. Blackstock has two children from a previous marriage — son Seth, 13, and daughter Savannah, 18. According to court documents, Clarkson has asked for joint legal custody of their children. She has cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the divorce.
The 38-year-old pop singer is asking the court that her last name be legally restored to Clarkson after taking Blackstock's last name. She is also requesting that the court terminate the ability to award spousal support to Blackstock. She is also asking the court to enforce their premarital agreement and that both parties cover their own attorney's fees. Property and asset division has not been confirmed as of yet and will be determined at a later date.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Clarkson and Blackstock spent their time together at their property in Montana which is where Clarkson, an 'American Idol' alum, recorded her daily television program and her appearances on NBC's 'The Voice'. The couple's divorce has been a shock to many of Clarkson's fans, especially after Blackstock wished her a heartfelt happy birthday on her talk show in April with a lovely video. Her daughter, River, started the video with a promise for her mom. She said, "I love you, Momma. I hope you have a good birthday day and I love you so much. And I would sing a special song for when it’s your birthday, well, today." Remington also wished his mother a happy birthday, promising to sing her a "special song" before Seth chimed in. Blackstock wished her a happy birthday at the end of the video, saying, "Happy birthday, baby. I love you more than you'll ever know." Clarkson responded to the clip saying, "Just now seeing this and I am bawling! They’re all so cute! I’ve had a bit of a rough week and this just turned it around."
Clarkson, who said she "felt something" when she first met Blackstock in 2006, has raved about her marriage over the years, but in a 2015 interview with Redbook, she said that her husband was not her "other half". "Brandon is not my other half. He's a whole and I'm a whole," she explained. "I've never believed in someone taking care of me, and that's probably because I grew up poor and without a lot of family stability."