Kelly Clarkson’s past reflections on love and her marriage to Brandon Blackstock have taken on heartbreaking new meaning following his death at age 48.
Blackstock, a music manager and Clarkson’s ex-husband, passed away on 7 August after a more than three-year battle with cancer. His family said he “passed away peacefully” while surrounded by loved ones, The Mirror reports.
Just a day earlier, Clarkson had revealed she was cancelling her tour to be fully present for their two children as Blackstock’s health declined.
“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 wrote on Instagram.
Clarkson and Blackstock were married for nine years before finalising a difficult divorce in 2022, with the singer declared legally single in 2021. Clarkson was awarded primary custody of their children, River Rose, 11, and Remy Alexander, nine, while Blackstock was ordered to pay monthly spousal support.
Despite the tension that marked the end of their marriage, Clarkson had always praised Blackstock’s devotion to their kids. Speaking to PEOPLE after the split, she reflected: “I’ve always known that love is hard. For me, love has always come with this elephant in the room of sadness… Sometimes love is looking at someone and going, ‘This is not good for you. This is not good for me.’ That’s a hard thing to face. But when you do, I think you grow.”
In a 2023 appearance on Angie Martinez’s IRL podcast, Clarkson described the decision to divorce as a long and painful process. “It wasn’t an overnight decision. I wanted to make it beautiful… and sometimes that just doesn’t happen,” she said.
Friends of the singer have said she was committed to ensuring River and Remy had “the best relationship possible” with their father and never spoke poorly of him to them.
In a statement confirming his death, the family said: “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.”
READ MORE
- Brandon Blackstock, ex-husband of Kelly Clarkson, dies at 48
- Jelly Roll gets emotional as Kelly Clarkson covers his song
