Inside Kelly Clarkson’s Family Life—How the Mom Juggles Motherhood After Her Ex’s Tragic Passing

Kelly Clarkson has long captivated fans with her powerhouse vocals and magnetic personality—but behind the spotlight, she’s navigating a deeply personal chapter. The 43-year-old singer and talk show host recently revealed that her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, had been facing serious health struggles, prompting her to press pause on part of her Las Vegas residency to be more present for their two children. However, mere hours after she shared this message, news broke that Blackstock had passed away at 48 after a battle with cancer.

“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” a rep for the family shared with PEOPLE in a statement. “Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”

“While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my children’s father has been ill and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them,” she shared with fans in the original post.

It’s a glimpse into the quieter, more grounded side of Clarkson—one that puts family first, even amid a busy career. As a mom to 10-year-old daughter River Rose and 9-year-old son Remy, Clarkson has always spoken candidly about the joys and challenges of motherhood, often opening up about the pressures of being a working parent in the public eye.

“I have a lot of mom guilt,” she admitted in a past interview. “You want to be with your kids every day… But I think it’s important for them to see that a woman is capable of kicking a– while also being a kick–s mom.”

Here, take a closer look inside Kelly Clarkson’s family life as she weathers this new chapter of life.

Kelly Clarkson supported her ex-husband amid health battle prior to his passing

Kelly Clarkson married Brandon Blackstock, former stepson of Reba McEntire, back in 2013 after meeting at a rehearsal for the Academy of Country Music Awards. After seven years of marriage, the couple called it quits in 2020, and despite the ups and downs of their split and co-parenting, Kelly remained committed to her children. 

The American Idol alum kicked off her Las Vegas residency in July, but the singer just announced that she would be pressing pause on a few of the shows she had planned. “Unfortunately, I need to postpone the remainder of the August Studio Session dates in Las Vegas,” she revealed on social media. “I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows and I so appreciate your grace, kindness and understanding.”

Meet Kelly Clarkson’s kids: River and Remy

The American Idol alum welcomed two kids with Blackstock before they finalized their divorce in 2022. River, her fiery 10-year-old daughter, is often seen by her mom’s side, and she even recently shadowed one of the showrunners on her mom’s hit series to experience life as a producer for the day—we love the way Kelly supports her daughter’s interests! “I got a leader. She’s going to rule the world one day, y’all,” her mom said on the show. 

Kelly’s son, Remy, is just as adorable as his sis at 9 years old, and we’ve gotten to see his personality shine as well over the years. Earlier this year, he shared his rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” during a performance on his mom’s show, and it’s clear he shares her same passion and vocal skills! While her two kids are her pride and joy, over the years, Kelly has acknowledged that not every day is perfect. 

“There are days where s— hits the fan, and I’m crying because there’s not enough time to do everything,” she told People back in 2016. “But that’s any mom. It’s a hard thing to take care of children. You’re molding lives. You don’t want to suck at it.”

Kelly gets real about being a working mom

During a recent appearance on Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce, Clarkson got real about how it can be tough having to miss her kids’ school events that take place during the work day—something many parents can relate to. “I get to be the a–hole that misses it because you decided that it would be a real opportune moment at 10 a.m. on a Thursday when we’re out here hustling. I feed a lot of mouths!” 

Regardless of the ups and downs that parenting brings, Clarkson has learned quite a bit over the years. “I think the most important thing I’ve learned in therapy, especially through this divorce, is ‘Don’t hide everything from your kids.’ Obviously, don’t talk about stuff that you shouldn’t talk about, but it’s okay if they see you cry, or it’s okay if they see you’ve had a bad day,” she told Variety. “You start to feel that kind of shame, like, ‘I’ve got to put my best foot forward as a mom because I don’t want them to be affected.’ But then you allow your kids to express empathy, and they learn how to say, ‘Oh, man, I’m sorry you had a hard day,’” she shared.