Kelly Clarkson left her husband after 7 years of marriage. Her new album reveals 'the good, bad and ugly'.

Before Kelly Clarkson was the Kelly Clarkson, she'd lived a life not accustomed to that of a superstar. 

She experienced poverty, homelessness and trauma that might have set her on a life course completely different to where she ended up. 

But along came American Idol, then the rest – as they say – is history.

Watch a snippet of Kelly Clarkson's American Idol audition. Post continues after video. 

Now, she's a mother of two and a consistent judge on The Voice USA.

The singer, who was married for seven years to Brandon Blackstock and has released her new album, said this week she's not sure if "he'd care" to listen to it. 

Chemistry is Clarkson's 10th studio release and follows after her divorce from Blackstock, who she reached out to before releasing her album into the world. 

Here's everything we know about Clarkson's rise to fame and what life looks like for her now.

Kelly's childhood. 

Born in 1982, in Fort Worth, Texas, Clarkson's path to fame was quite the bumpy road. 

While her mother was a first-grade teacher and an "incredibly present force" in her life, her father divorced her mother and walked out on the family when she was just six years old (their broken relationship inspired the song 'Because Of You'). 

When her mum went on to remarry, the singer gained five stepbrothers and stepsisters. On her father's side, she also got another two brothers but still failed to reconnect with her father after multiple "humiliating" attempts during her teen years.

Kelly Clarkson as a child. Image: Pinterest. 

"I've never really been in touch with them. I know a lot of people go, 'Aww,' but it's not really that situation," she explained to Skavalan in 2017. "I think If you don't grow up with it, it's hard to miss something you never had."

The trauma of abandonment left her determined not to end up in a similar situation, she told MTV News in 2005.

"It’s about the cycle of families like you act how your parents acted towards you and then your kids act how you acted towards them, and it’s all about breaking that cycle if it was a bad one… It’s very close to him for me."

"I OK’d it with my family and everything because they think it’s important, because we’re obviously very different now than we were when we were younger. And it’s important for people to see that raw kind of emotion that happens in life."

Growing up, Clarkson's conservative family struggled with poverty. Often they were on the brink of homelessness and living "paycheck to paycheck".

Kelly Clarkson and her mother, Jeanne Taylor. Image: The Kelly Clarkson Show. 

"I definitely had the whole mentality. I was like 'whatever I'm going to do, I just don't want to have to worry about that [money]'," she told CBS News. 

Which is why, even now with an estimated net worth of $45 million, the 'Stronger' singer abhors the saying "money doesn't buy happiness". 

"I don't know one poor person that's [saying that]! It pays you to get out of eviction notices, so it's pretty good."

Despite the heartache of abandonment, Clarkson thrived. 

After being encouraged in high school to join her choir group, she discovered her own talent in singing and performing.

And then, in 2002, the rest of the world got to see the singer for the first time on American Idol. 

Kelly's rise to fame. 

At the time of her legendary audition, the singer-songwriter was living in her car. 

"My apartment in LA burned down, and I had to move home," she told The Guardian. "I had no money, and I had to sleep in my car for three days." 

Her rendition of 'Express Yourself' by Madonna earned her a place on the show, and she would eventually win American Idol in 2002. 

Kelly Clarkson, 2002. Image: Getty. 

It was a path she had never expected, admitting later she thought she'd land herself a gig as a backup singer at most. 

"I didn't go into it thinking this would happen," she revealed. "I went into it thinking it might pay my electric bill."

The debut single that followed her monumental win, 'A Moment Like This', became the best-selling song of the year in the U.S. and then her first album, Thankful (released in 2003) debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified double platinum. 

Not too long later in 2003, she'd also make her debut as an actor in the film From Justin To Kelly.

With the release of her second album Breakaway, Clarkson became a household name by 2004.

Her most commercially successful record yet went on to win her two Grammy Awards for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Vocal Performance.

Despite her monumental success, she was at the mercy of cruel record executives. The singer claimed she'd been told by Clive Davis - head of the RCA in 2004 - that 'Because Of You' was "crappy", in a room full of other high-ranking execs. 

"A group of men thought it was OK to sit around a young woman and bully her," she told Variety. "I was told I should shut up and sing." 

She felt the wrath of RCA again in 2007 with her edgiest album My December. While she was able to produce and co-write her own songs, the label scaled back promotion as they were reportedly not pleased with the project’s direction.

By 2009, she returned to her Texan roots with a country album, All I Ever Wanted. Her song 'My Life Would Suck Without You' receieved a nom at the Grammys for Best Pop Vocal Album, but did not win. 

Kelly's family life. 

In 2011, the singer met and began dating Brandon Blackstock and just a year later, the pair tied the knot. With both choosing to stay private and out of the limelight, the public was entranced. 

Image: Instagram @KellyClarkson. 

At the time, she told US Weekly: "I’m too happy. He’s ruining my creativity. I’m writing all this happy s**t. It’s killing me."

While he took on the role of managing her career, she became stepmother to his two children, Savannah and Seth, from his previous marriage to Melissa Ashworth. 

Kelly Clarkson with her four children. Image: Instagram @kellyclarkson. 

Their relationship – the good and the bad – was a wonder for the singer, who admitted she wasn't always convinced in marriage and love. 

"I never thought, honestly, I would get married, or fall in, like, love like they said in the movies. And not so because I didn't think it was true, you know, I just wasn't presented with that growing up. I just didn't know it was possible," she said.

While she remained relatively tight-lipped about her relationship during the course of their marriage, she was open about remaining independent. 

"Brandon is not my other half. He’s a whole and I’m a whole," she told Redbook in 2015. "I’ve never believed in someone taking care of me, and that’s probably because I grew up poor and without a lot of family stability."

The pair welcomed their first child together, River, not long after tying the knot in 2014. In April 2016, they expanded their family with the new addition of their son Remington. 

Kelly, Brandon and their son River. Image: Instagram @KellyClarkson. 

In June 2020, Kelly and Brandon filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences".

"They clashed on so many levels, and being in quarantine together [during the coronavirus pandemic] heightened their problems to the point of no return," a source told US Weekly.

"Everyone thought Kelly and Brandon had the perfect marriage, but they definitely didn’t. Brandon’s very laid-back, whereas Kelly’s pretty high-strung."

Four months later, news broke that Kelly was being sued by her management company, which is run by Brandon's father, Narvel. 

The Starstruck Management Group claimed the Grammy Award winner owed the company over US $1.4 million in unpaid commission. 

However, the 'Stronger' singer counter-sued, and accused the company of violating Californian laws by "procuring, offering, promising or attempting to procure employment or engagements".

She went on to claim her own husband and his father's company had defrauded her out of millions of dollars by overcharging her for working with them. She further alleged the family-run business had unlicensed agents working for them. 

"I mean, it's no secret," she said at the time in an interview with Today. "My life has been a little bit of a dumpster... personally, it's been a little hard the last couple months." 

In 2020, Kelly was granted primary custody over their two children, with statements from court saying the "level of conflict between the parents has increased".

Image: Instagram @KellyClarkson. 

The singer opened up about their parenting situation in 2021 on The Kelly Clarkson Show, where she admitted it had been "tough". 

"It’s tough.… I know with me and Brandon, it’s just a difficult thing because we’re in different places, and it’s like, we both agree on the main things, but it’s a hard thing when you’re not together all the time, for me personally," she shared. 

"As long as you make sure it’s about the children and their best interests, then we’re both on board."

In an interview with Angie Martinez's IRL Podcast, the singer spoke about the difficulty of raising children through divorce.

"I think I am my mother's child, and I'm raising very independent children," Clarkson said of her two kids. "They will be out the door as soon as they're able and capable. They're very independent."

She's also made an effort to make sure her kids feel comfortable to be honest with her. 

"I literally ask my kids every night when we're snuggling, 'Are you happy?' And if you're not, what could make you happier?" she said. "Sometimes they'll say – especially the past two years – a lot of it – and it kills me. I want them to be honest so I don't ever say, 'Oh god, don't tell me that,' but a lot of times it would be like, 'You know, I'm just really sad. I wish Mommy and Daddy were in the same house.' And they're really honest about it. And I'm raising that kind of individual."

The singer admitted this year she feels like a better parent now that she's gotten through the worst parts of the divorce process.

"It just changed the perspective on that," she said. "I am a way better parent when I take care of myself – the oxygen mask mentality, right? And you do have to take care of yourself in order for that to trickle down."

As for how the future unfolds, the singer shared she would "love to fall in love" but admitted she will likely never get married. 

After growing up with difficult stepparent relationships, she noted, "I don't want another dude in my house with my children."

"I really do, truly love being single," she said. "I like my bed. I like my routine."

Kelly Clarkson's new album.

Clarkson's 10th studio album Chemistry has been released following her divorce from Blackstock. 

In an interview with Today, the singer admitted she had actually reached out to her ex-husband to discuss the new music. 

"We did have a little text exchange about it," she explained, as reported by People. "I don't even remember why or how it happened, but I was like, 'Hey, I didn't just diminish us down to one [thing].'

"You know what I'm saying? It’s all in there, the ride. The beauty is in there, as well. Now there's a lot of pain, but that’s what happens for all of us."

When asked if she believes Blackstock would enjoy the new album, the singer laughed before saying, "No. I don't know if he'd care either way."

The new album is a "personal" one. She kept her two kids in mind while creating it. 

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A post shared by Kelly Clarkson (@kellyclarkson)

"It's very personal. And I've always released personal music — I think I'm that kind of writer in general, everybody knows that," she said. "I think when you have kids — you both have kids, too — you kind of debate, 'What am I going to do here?' So I was very selective about the songs I picked for the album."

"And a whole relationship shouldn’t be just brought down to one thing. So there’s the good, the bad and the ugly kind of thing going on in it," she continued. 

In an interview with TalkShopLive last month, she explained the album is about a "beautiful and amazing" thing. 

"I just feel like chemistry is a beautiful and amazing thing, but it's powerful for the good and the bad," she said. "Makes you do stupid stuff."

This story was published on February 20, 2022 and has since been updated with new information. 

Feature Image: Getty/ The Kelly Clarkson Show.