Kelly Clarkson has shared why she chose to relocate to New York, saying she needed a "fresh start" following her divorce from Brandon Blackstock.
The "Breakaway" singer, 41, made the remarks while opening up about moving "The Kelly Clarkson Show" from Los Angeles during an interview with USA Today.
"I’ll be real honest: I thought I was making a horrible decision," Clarkson said. "I knew I needed a fresh start and couldn’t be in L.A. I really wanted to be in Montana, but you can’t really do a show from there quite yet. So I was like, ‘The only other option would probably be New York.'"
In June 2020, the TV personality filed for divorce from Blackstock after almost seven years of marriage. They share two children, River Rose, 9, and Remington, 7, who moved with Clarkson. She was granted primary custody of the children in March 2022.
"I genuinely love it, and I love that my kids love it," she continued. "I was like, ‘I’m not living here unless it’s right by the park and really nice for the kids.’"
Clarkson and Blackstock had a messy split, citing "irreconcilable differences" as the cause for their divorce, the New York Post reported.
Their divorce settlement, approved by a judge in March 2022, entailed Blackstock receiving $115,000 per month in spousal support until January 2024, along with $45,600 per month in child support. Blackstock had moved out of their shared ranch by June that month.
Speaking with USA Today, Clarkson said that she and her kids, as well as her show, which returned for Season 5 on Oct. 16, were in a much better space.
"I feel like a weight has lifted. That move was very needed. I’m showing up to work smiling and actually meaning it," she said.
"That’s a beautiful gift that you don’t realize until you’re out of it."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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