Five months after her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, passed away from cancer, Kelly Clarkson shares a rare family update.
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The singer and talk show host spoke about her family during a YouTube question-and-answer session on the Kelly Clarkson Show channel. She and Blackstock share two children, daughter River and son Remington “Remy.”
“Snuggle,” she said in the rare family update. “My kids, they’re 9 and 11. Kind of that special little fun stage where they can wipe their own behinds, but they’re still small enough to, like, love cuddling and love snuggles.”
“There’s been a lot for our family recently,” Clarkson pointed out. “And so I have allowed my kids to sleep with me quite a bit.”
Regarding her family’s current dynamic, Kelly said, “It’s my two dogs, my two kids, and me. It’s a lot. It’s been really special, though, because… the conversations you have during that time are pretty cute. So that’s probably my favorite time of day.”
Blackstock passed away at the age of 48 in early August 2025. The former stepson of Reba McEntire was diagnosed with melanoma three years before his death.
“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” a Blackstock family rep stated at the time. “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.”
Along with River and Remy, Blackstock also has two children, Savannah and Seth, from a previous marriage.
Clarkson and Blackstock were married from 2013 to 2020. Their divorce was finalized in 2022.
Kelly Clarkson Previously Postponed Her Las Vegas Residency to Support Her Children Amid Her Ex’s Cancer Battle
In early 2025, Kelly Clarkson announced she was putting her Las Vegas residency on hold to support her child amid Brandon Blackstock’s cancer battle.
“While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my children’s father has been ill,” she explained. “And at this moment, I need to be fully present for them. I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows, and I so appreciate your grace, kindness and understanding.”
Nearly two months after Blackstock’s death, Clarkson discussed grief with Lionel Richie.
““I do think a lot of people deal with grief in such a different way, but I love that you say, ‘Grief is the great teacher of what matters most,'” she said, quoting Richie’s book Truly. “And I think, no matter how you deal with grief, it is very different for everyone. But I do find that very, very true.”
She then said that grief hits in waves. “What I found is that when I get involved with the word uncontrollable grief, I let go. Believe it or not, I look forward to finding out who am I going to be really ’cause that’s the real me. If it hurts so badly, that means you love so deeply.”