Kelly Clarkson has filed for divorce from her husband, Brandon Blackstock, citing “irreconcilable differences.” The couple has been married for seven years.
A source told Entertainment Tonight: “Kelly and Brandon had been having problems for several months and were making a conscious effort to work things out. They both hoped quarantining away from LA in Montana would help them work things out in their marriage, but instead, the change in environment was actually detrimental.”
“The constant time together seemed to make an already challenging situation worse,” the source added. Though Clarkson’s booming career “definitely helped to keep her mind off things, but this recent downtime gave her the time she needed to think about her life and her marriage.”
Clarkson reportedly started the divorce process a few weeks ago after some soul searching. She requested not to award Brandon spousal support, asked the court to honor their prenuptial agreement, and that they should both cover their own attorney fees.
“[Kelly] has always been a very organized businesswoman, so her decision to have a prenup just reflects that and protects her earnings,” the source said about Clarkson’s prenup. “Kelly is very kindhearted, generous, and giving, so Brandon will be just fine.
The American Idol star has also requested to have her last name legally restored to Clarkson after she took Blackstock as her surname in marriage. In addition to that, she has asked for joint physical and legal custody of their two kids, River Rose and Remington Alexander. Their separation date was listed as ‘TBD’ on the court documents.
Despite all of this, the source said the couple is remaining on good terms. “Kelly and Brandon haven’t cut each other off; they are still talking to one another. They are both heartbroken, but their plan is to put the kids first,” the source said.
“Their focus is on co-parenting and moving forward, as this is the last place they ever thought they would be. They both understand divorce is never easy for children, but Kelly and Brandon are great parents. It’ll just take time.”
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So far, neither Clarkson nor Blackstock, have spoken out about the divorce rumors.
Before filing for divorce, Clarkson was even filming remote episodes of her talk show The Kelly Clarkson Show while she and her family were spending time social distancing at their Montana ranch.
“It’s a really beautiful ranch, and it’s a nice getaway for our family,” she said about their months-long sanctuary. “It’s something Brandon and I have dreamed about since we were both kids. This is what we would call home.”
In May, Clarkson referred to Blackstock as her “partner in crime” during a virtual press conference with her fellow Voice coaches. She said she wouldn’t have been able to film during the quarantine without him.
“My husband is now a lighting technician, an audiovisual technician, a director, and he’s also playing cowboy on our ranch,” Clarkson said. “He’s got his hands full. We both, definitely, have our hands full. It’s not just this job, it’s [my] TV show and making records. We’re all still making records. It’s a lot of new things happening for us, and we’re trying to get it done.”
Clarkson has always been open about her relationship with Blackstock, even with their sex life, throughout their marriage. The “Miss Independent” singer once revealed that she never felt a strong sexual attraction to anyone before she met Blackstock.
The couple tied the knot in a low-key celebration in October 2013. “Our whole life is a celebration,” Clarkson said about her intimate wedding. “We don’t need another day where we throw a big party. We would rather have an intimate moment that’s special.”
