Her divorce was far from easy, but Clarkson has only come out stronger through it all.
Editor's note: This article was originally published on January 28, 2022. It has since been updated.
Divorces are often difficult and complex processes that rarely end in amicable situations. When Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock announced their divorce, no one thought it would get so messy. The mother of two legally filed for divorce from Blackstock in June 2020 in the Los Angeles court, citing irreconcilable differences, per The Blast. The news came as a shock to many, given how just a while before the announcement was made, the couple appeared to be in good spirits following a tour of their Montana cabin that showed that they quarantined with their kids on The Kelly Clarkson Show.
While some respected the singer's decision, several trolls began claiming that the divorce was a result of the singer's busy schedule. Eventually, she slammed the hater, reports PEOPLE. "Wow," Clarkson, 41, wrote on Twitter. "Shaming a woman who has a great work ethic, is a great mom, and who steps up and fills in when a friend asks for a favor because that’s actually what 'good old country girls' do.... this can’t be who you are deep down."
"I have more faith in your heart," she added. "Aim higher please."
Then, when it came to the actual divorce process, Clarkson realized it wasn't going to be an easy journey. The two of them tried to keep things civil and amicable, but their lawsuit lasted for more than a year. Also, it didn't help that Blackstock was simply trying to walk away with a lot of wealth and fortune from the divorce.
You see, when they got married, Blackstock and Clarkson had signed a prenuptial agreement that granted Clarkson sole ownership over her own property, but Blackstock tried to contest this by putting it on trial. However, his trial was rejected. "The Court, therefore, rejects Respondent's [Brandon's] position that the Montana Ranch and other Montana properties are marital property owned 50/50 by the Parties," the judge's order read.
However, while all of this was going on, Blackstock was still living on the ranch and was refusing to move. Meanwhile, an insider hinted that his estranged wife at the time tried to evict him from the property and viewed him like a squatter.
Three months after filing for divorce, Clarkson once again approached the court, requesting the judge to declare her legally single because she and Blackstock "both deserve the opportunity to build a new life," per PEOPLE. While the court did rule her as a single woman, she was also ordered to pay her former husband 200,000 in spousal support monthly. The Behind These Hazel Eyes singer was fine with the judgment, but things took a turn for the better when the court granted her primary custody of their two kids.
Honestly, the two of them have remained rather silent, when it comes to matters of their separation, but during a segment with Andy Cohen on one episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, Clarkson revealed that she’ll be “single forever” and has trouble seeing the “red flags” in bad dates. But despite all of the drama that ensued, Clarkson regrets nothing.
“I regret nothing. Even unfortunate things that happen in your life or hard things, ’cause we can do hard things,” she said. “But also I feel like that’s what shapes you, it’s what makes you a better person, it’s what makes you recognize: OK, I missed those red flags, I missed that, I ignored that on purpose,” she continued, noting that she almost named her next album Red Flag Collector. “I mean … I’m just collecting them,” Clarkson joked. “I was apparently wanting to do some kind of exhibit with a lot of them.”
References:
https://theblast.com/c/kelly-clarkson-files-for-divorce-brandon-blackstock
https://people.com/music/kelly-clarkson-claps-back-fan-marriage-didnt-work-because-busy-schedule/
https://twitter.com/kellyclarkson/status/1294013902263431169
https://people.com/music/kelly-clarkson-declared-legally-single-amid-brandon-blackstock-divorce/
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Kevin Winter