We all have to struggle to balance our personal lives with our professions. It’s not easy. But it might be especially harder for those who live a forward-facing life in the spotlight. Since 2002, Kelly Clarkson has been at the forefront of American pop culture. Since her win on American Idol, she has dominated the music industry. She’s been a sought-after entertainer. And when a project comes her way, she almost certainly takes it. Whether it be coaching on The Voice or hosting The Kelly Clarkson Show, she’s elevated her career to its max.
However, as her career blossoms, she has faced some personal woes that have tempered the constant positivity fans love about her. After a brief hiatus from her talk show earlier this year, many fans have feared that the end of The Kelly Clarkson Show will actually be a reality when her contract expires. As inside sources continue to state that the singer is still reeling from her divorce from Brandon Blackstone, it’s clear that Kelly Clarkson’s complicated separation is taking a toll on her career.
Kelly Clarkson’s Divorce May Have Impacted Her Decision to Do a Talk Show
Before there was love, there was a brilliant career. Kelly Clarkson had dominated the airwaves before they became a thing. Clarkson first met Brandon Blackstock during a rehearsal for the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2006, but he was married to then-wife Melissa Ashworth. When they separated, Clarkson and Blackstock began dating. Blackstock is the son of her manager, Narvel Blackstock, and a former stepson of Reba McEntire. Their romance was a quick one. They had their first date on February 11, 2012, the day Whitney Houston died, and announced their engagement on December 14 of that year. From there, they were wed in 2013 and had two children together, River, born in 2014, and Remington, born in 2016. But in 2020, Clarkson filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.
While it’s not uncommon to see a celebrity couple part ways, this particular separation was quite complicated. Blackstock took over as her manager and became a crucial factor in Clarkson inking the career-altering deals for The Voice and The Kelly Clarkson Show. Between brutal custody battles and lawsuits over money and the handling of certain deals, the divorce took a lot out of Clarkson…financially. And even years after the divorce was finalized, she’s still fighting for normalcy. With her family as her main priority, Clarkson is battling what next is most important to her.
Music is how she became a household name. She has expressed displeasure at the grueling schedule of the talk show, which takes her away from touring and sharing music with fans. And yet, it’s those same fans who would be devastated to see her leave her talk show. How else will we get our daily edition of the brilliant Kellyoake? With so many factors that went into both her career and marriage, she’s now left reeling to figure out what to do next. Reports are saying that she’s conflicted as to what she does next, even breaking down knowing how her decision could impact her staffers’ lives. Kelly Clarkson will always be in demand, but that’s not the case of those working on her show. But her struggle to maneuver through making the right decision is hard. She’s been as transparent as she possibly could, and now, when she takes time for herself, like her brief hiatus, it causes a flurry of questions, adding more stress to her life.
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How Kelly Clarkson Moves On From the Talk Show Is Yet to Be Determined
Whether it is Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie or Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, then Jennifer Garner and back to J.Lo, high-profile separations are not easy for celebrities. They become headline fodder. They become think pieces. It turns into what we’re doing right now. However, it should also serve as a lesson on how to navigate these difficult times. While we can only imagine and speculate how Kelly Clarkson’s difficult decision about her show may be weighing on her. But it causes us to ponder if there could be residual effects from Blackstone’s connections to the initial opportunities playing a part as well. One can only imagine how brutal it could be to go to work and feel as if you’re partially there because of your manager, who happened to be your ex. Clarkson will be able to maintain a grasp on the world of entertainment, whatever comes next, even with different teams working on her deals now.
Kelly Clarkson loves music, and we love her for her music. It makes her happy. Her children make her happy. And we want her to be happy. If stepping away from The Kelly Clarkson Show is what is best, we only have respect for her decision. She came into this world of entertainment as a “civilian.” She was the face of reality television’s American dream. She was just a server who could sing the phone book. There was no guide on how to navigate fame after winning American Idol. She became the blueprint. She set the standard. Now, all these years later, she’s still trying to figure it all out. But one thing we might take away from it is this: don’t mix business with pleasure. It’s easy to say, but it doesn’t always end up for the best.