Kelly Clarkson has admitted she suffered from crippling depression so bad she had to seek therapy.
The 41-year-old talk show host shared her mental health update with the latest issue of People on Wednesday.
Turns out she was in a dark place following her divorce from Brandon Blackstock, with whom she has two children, and it has lasted seven years. Another thing that gets her through the dark times: her music.
“The level of depression and the things that come with divorce or grief are extremely difficult,” she told the outlet.
“You feel alone, and it's just a blessing to have an outlet for the overwhelming emotions.”
Working on her song Chemistry helped her heal.
Kelly Clarkson has admitted she suffered from crippling depression so bad she had to seek therapy
The 41-year-old talk show host shared her mental health update in the latest issue of People on Wednesday. Turns out she was in a dark place following her divorce from Brandon Blackstock, with whom she has two children, and it has lasted seven years. Seen in 2020
'I saw nothing other than: this is my outlet. I am a let go person; I don't hold grudges. So it was really a search for what was happening in my life and why – and what am I going to do about it?' she admitted.
“I can't express how grateful I am to have such a healthy outlet.”
Coming out with the new music made her feel like she was “taking my power back,” Clarkson added.
“That sounds very therapy, but that's because I love therapy, and I think it's important to have those tools to navigate your life and relationships.”
Moving from Los Angeles to New York City for season five of her show also made her feel better, saying she just needed a change.
She also spoke with her children River Rose, 9, and son Remington Alexander, 7.
She was thrilled when her children joined her on stage during her Las Vegas residency in August.
“They were a little nervous, but it was their idea, not mine,” Clarkson said.
River sang a duet of her mother's single Heartbeat Song.
Remington danced to Whole Lotta Woman.
With their children and one of his older children in 2019
She landed on the cover of People
She was excited and then seemed like she was a star on stage: “I was like, 'I feel like the way you look at me is how you look at Spider-Man,'” Clarkson said.
'It completely caught me off guard and it was the most magical moment because they were so happy and at ease. They were just impressed.”
Her career is doing better than ever.
Her latest album Chemistry is nominated for best pop vocal album at the Grammys. And her talk show earned six wins at the Daytime Emmy Awards, including outstanding daytime talk show and host for Clarkson.
Then there's the Vegas residency, which has added more shows throughout the winter.
This week's People will be on newsstands on Friday.
This comes just as Clarkson accused her ex Blackstock of telling her she wasn't sexy enough for The Voice.
Kelly filed the claims last year with a California labor commissioner, who ultimately ruled that 47-year-old Brandon Kelly owed $2.6 million for illegally brokering deals that should have been handled by her talent agents.
And in documents obtained by the New York Post's Page Six, Kelly claimed that even though she told Brandon about her desire to become a coach on The Voice, he insisted they were “looking for someone who was more of a sex symbol,” like Rihanna .
He managed her career and told her she wasn't sexy enough for The Voice; seen in 2020
She recently had her two children with her on stage in Las Vegas
When asked by her attorney Ed McPherson how she remembered the specific conversation, Kelly said, “Well, a woman never forgets a time when she's told she's not a sex symbol, so it stays that way.”
She also claimed that Brandon told her that NBC “needed to have someone who was black.” … They had to have something diverse” and that she and Blake Shelton – who was already on the show – “looked too much alike.”
Despite Brandon's claims, Kelly joined The Voice as a coach in 2018.
He testified in court that he was encouraged by two CAA music agents to tell NBC that Kelly was already in talks with ABC to become a judge on “American Idol,” where she first found fame.
He claimed that they encouraged him to meet with NBC Entertainment Chairman Paul Telegdy, claiming that Telegdy did not like agents.
Brandon's attorneys Bryan Freedman and Jesse Kaplan said in a court document: “Crucially and consistent with their negotiating strategy, Blackstock informed Telegdy that American Idol would submit an offer to Clarkson.
In response, Telegdy asked Blackstock, “What would it take.” [to sign Kelly to The Voice]?' Brandon – who also managed Blake Shelton – told Telegdy it would be “somewhere around Blake's money.”