Kelly Clarkson seen for the first time since ex Brandon Blackstock's d.e.a.t.h
Kelly Clarkson was spotted arriving at LAX in her first somber public outing since the death of her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock.
In photos obtained by Page Six, the “American Idol” winner wore head-to-toe black, including a wide-brimmed cowboy hat and sunglasses, while arriving at the international hub with her sister Alyssa and kids, River, 11, and Remington, 9, in tow.
The “Kelly Clarkson Show” host kept a serious expression as she hoisted luggage and made her way into the airport.
Clarkson, 43, hasn’t been seen since since news broke that her ex-husband died at age 47 on Aug. 7, following a private, years-long battle with melanoma.
“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” a family spokesperson told Page Six at the time.
“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 the eve of his death, the songstress took to Instagram to announce she was cancelling Las Vegas residency shows — for the second time — due to Blackstock’s illness.
“While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my children’s father has been ill and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them,” she wrote less than 24 hours before his death.
“I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows and I so appreciate your grace, kindness and understanding.”
The “Stronger” hitmaker — who married Blackstock in 2013 and finalized her divorce from him in 2022 — has reportedly dealt with feelings of guilt following his death.
Following their contentious custody battle, in which Clarkson ultimately gained custody of their children, the singer reportedly wondered if their volatile divorce affected his health.
“Kelly is aware of talk that stress can impact the body and make someone more susceptible to cancer,” an insider told the Daily Mail Wednesday. “Although the timing could be purely coincidental, she knows how much tension the divorce and lawsuits put on them.”
The insider added that the mom of three “doesn’t blame herself,” but added that she’s “conscious that the double whammy of the divorce and the fact that he had to repay her millions of dollars was very tough on him.”
A second source told the outlet that the Grammy winner “separated her personal feelings about Brandon after the divorce, and she progressed from there.”
“While it was frustrating to deal with him in divorce, once the cancer came into the situation, she felt bad, it took a toll on her because she had to think of her kids’ feelings and to protect them,” they added.
