Keeping it real. Kelly Clarkson surprised some when she filed for divorce from Brandon Blackstock on June 4, 2020, after nearly seven years of marriage. At the time, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that the former couple "clashed on so many levels and being in quarantine together [amid the coronavirus pandemic] heightened their problems to the point of no return." The insider added that the pair, who tied the knot in October 2013 and later welcomed two children, daughter River Rose and son Remington, "definitely didn't" have a perfect marriage. "Brandon's very laid-back, whereas Kelly's pretty high-strung," the source explained. Since calling it quits, Clarkson has been open about her dynamic with her ex-husband. "I mean, it's no secret. My life has been a little bit of a dumpster," the Grammy winner said in September during an interview on Sunday Today With Willie Geist. "Personally, it's been a little hard the last couple months." When it comes to their family, however, the Voice coach has vowed to use discretion. In addition to their two children, Blackstock is father of two children, Savannah and Seth, from his previous marriage to Melissa Ashworth. "What I am dealing with is hard because it involves more than just my heart. It involves a lot of little hearts," the "Already Gone" singer said during the season 2 premiere of The Kelly Clarkson Show in September. "We have four kids and divorce is never easy. We're both from divorced families, so we know the best thing here is to protect our children and their little hearts." Clarkson kept her and Blackstock's children in mind when she announced in August 2025 that she was postponing the month's remaining dates of her Las Vegas residency, revealing that Blackstock had been ill for the past year. "I need to be fully present for them," she said of her kids. The following day, a rep for Blackstock's family confirmed to Us that the talent manager had died at age 48 after battling cancer for more than three years. Scroll down to see what the "Since U Been Gone" singer has said about her split from Blackstock.