Most Devastating Moments in Kelly Clarkson’s Relationship with Late Ex-Husband Revealed Following His Passing at 48

Kelly Clarkson, the inaugural winner of American Idol, faced years of emotional and legal challenges in her relationship with her former husband. As newly uncovered court records and personal interviews show, their family endured significant stress leading up to his death.

Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband and a talent manager, has passed away at the age of 48 after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was also the stepson of country music legend Reba McEntire.

Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock were last seen together publicly at the 25th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California, on January 12, 2020.

His family officially announced his passing through a statement given to USA Today on August 7, 2025. “It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” the statement read.

Clarkson and Blackstock tied the knot in October 2013, after getting engaged the previous December. Together, they shared two children — a daughter named River Rose and a son, Remington Alexander. The complexities of their divorce proceedings revealed ongoing co-parenting struggles.

On April 27, 2019, the family — River, Kelly, Remington, and Brandon — was photographed attending a movie at Regal Cinema in Los Angeles.

In November 2020, People magazine reported that a judge in Los Angeles County awarded Clarkson primary physical custody of their children. The official documents stated: “The Court finds that under the circumstances present in this case, the interest in providing stability and continuity for the minor children weighs in favor of Petitioner having primary custody.”

Additionally, the court acknowledged the increased tension between the two, stating, “The level of conflict between the parents has increased. The parties have a difficult time co-parenting due to issues of trust between them.”

Under the custody agreement, Blackstock, who had planned to live in Montana while continuing his work in the music industry, was permitted to visit the children at Clarkson’s residence in Los Angeles.

Despite agreeing on joint physical and legal custody, Clarkson retained primary residential custody in LA. The arrangement included daily FaceTime calls between Blackstock and the children at a mutually agreed-upon time.

Another part of the agreement stipulated that neither parent could speak negatively about the other in front of the children. Furthermore, the custodial parent was to ensure that the children were not exposed to any third party who might speak poorly of the other parent.

Clarkson opened up about the challenges of co-parenting during a February 2021 episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show. She admitted, “It’s tough. With me and Brandon, it’s just a difficult thing because we’re in different places. And it’s like we both agree on the main things, but it’s a hard thing when you’re not together all the time, for me, personally.”

The couple’s financial battles outlasted their custody disputes, continuing even after the divorce had been finalized. However, in May 2024, those legal conflicts quietly came to an end.

According to court records, Clarkson filed for dismissal of her case against Blackstock on May 21, 2024. Just one day later, Blackstock’s company, Starstruck Management Group, followed suit by filing its own dismissal. A source close to the situation confirmed to Rolling Stone that, “Everything has settled.”

This agreement allowed them to sidestep a public court trial scheduled for late August 2024, which would have evaluated whether Blackstock had acted improperly by negotiating certain deals for Clarkson — such as her participation on The Voice — and profiting through commissions.

At the time Clarkson dismissed her claims, Blackstock had already been facing severe health issues. According to his family’s statement, his cancer battle had lasted over three years, overlapping with the period during which these legal matters were being resolved.

Back in March 2015, Blackstock, along with Clarkson, Reba McEntire, and his father, TV producer Narvel Blackstock, attended Muhammad Ali’s Celebrity Fight Night XXI in Phoenix, Arizona — a public moment of unity that contrasts with the later turbulence.

Even beyond the courtroom, the emotional toll of the separation deeply affected their home life. In a June 2023 appearance on the podcast We Can Do Hard Things, Clarkson spoke honestly about how her children continued to struggle post-divorce.

“I’m still having conversations three years later. My kids just came back from my ex. Any time there’s mention of him being with somebody else, they are just really adamant about keeping that dream alive that we might still be together one day,” she shared.

In November 2024, Clarkson elaborated further during an interview with KOST 103.5. She spoke about how her children reacted to the idea of her dating again. “They constantly bring it up. ‘Please, we don’t want you to be with anybody else.’ They are young. It’s hard to picture their mom with someone else other than their dad.”

Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock were last seen together at the CMT Music Awards in Nashville on June 6, 2018 — one of their final major public appearances as a couple.

Their journey together was marked by serious struggles — custody battles, financial disputes, and deeply personal heartbreak — all while Blackstock fought a private war with cancer.

His passing closed the book on a complicated chapter filled with both public controversy and personal pain. What remains are the two children who, despite everything, never gave up the hope that their parents might someday reunite.