Kelly Clarkson stayed protective of ex Brandon Blackstock amid bitter divorce

Kelly Clarkson is grieving the loss of her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, who lost his battle with cancer at the age of 48. 

The singer is heartbroken, especially for the sake of their two children, as she navigates the emotional aftermath of his tragic death. 

“Kelly remained protective of him when she found out he was sick,” a source told People magazine. “She’s always kept things classy, even when it became clear earlier this year that Brandon was not doing well. She’s been devastated for the kids.”

BRANDON BLACKSTOCK, KELLY CLARKSON’S EX-HUSBAND, DEAD AT 48

While their tumultuous divorce played out in the public eye, Clarkson’s focus has always been on maintaining stability for their two children — River Rose and Remington Alexander.

“The divorce was incredibly difficult for her — messy, painful and something she felt terrible about,” the source told the outlet. “But she never wanted her kids to be caught in the crossfire. She never spoke poorly about Brandon to them.”

Reps for Clarkson did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

A rep for Blackstock’s family shared a heartfelt statement to Fox News Digital after his passing on Thursday. 

“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” the statement read. “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.”

On Wednesday, Clarkson announced her plans to postpone additional shows from her Las Vegas residency due to a family emergency. 

KELLY CLARKSON POSTPONES REMAINING LAS VEGAS SHOWS FOR FAMILY CRISIS INVOLVING EX-HUSBAND BRANDON BLACKSTOCK

“Unfortunately, I need to postpone the remainder of the August Studio Session dates in Las Vegas,” the “Since U Been Gone” singer captioned an Instagram post on Wednesday. 

“While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my children’s father [ex-husband Brandon Blackstock] has been ill and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them.”

Clarkson and Blackstock were married in 2013, but they met years earlier as Blackstock’s father, Narvel Blackstock, owns the music management company that represented Clarkson beginning in 2007. The pair welcomed their first child, daughter River Rose, in 2014 and their son, Remington Alexander, was born in 2016.

In 2020, Clarkson filed for divorce from Blackstock, who also served as her manager.

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Clarkson and Blackstock’s divorce was settled in 2022, with Clarkson receiving primary physical custody of their two children while still paying their father $45,000 a month in child support.

Clarkson earned a legal victory in 2023 when a California labor commissioner ruled that Blackstock must pay the “Miss Independent” singer $2,641,374 for overstepping in his managerial role and “unlawfully” procuring deals, according to court docs obtained by Fox News Digital.

During the time Blackstock was her manager, he allegedly made deals that her agent should have handled instead. The former “American Idol” winner’s ex was ordered to pay Clarkson for the fees he collected from contracted deals with “The Voice,” Billboard Music Awards, “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Norwegian Cruise Line and more.