Heartbreaking video of Kelly Clarkson in tears as she struggles through concert days before her ex-husband's death
Kelly Clarkson got visibly emotional onstage just days before her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, tragically died following a private battle with cancer.
Page Six exclusively reported over the weekend that the star had been fighting back tears during her performance in Las Vegas on July 26.
Now, a resurfaced video — originally shared via TikTok last month — shows Clarkson wiping away tears as she introduced Piece by Piece in Sin City. At one point, the 43-year-old singer joked to her Las Vegas Studio Session residency attendees about the magic of 'compartmentalisation'.
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Kelly Clarkson in tears on stage day before her ex-husband's death
more as... more she forced a smile in front of fans.
The singer appeared visibly distressed... ... more
Clarkson previously revealed that she wrote the song about Blackstock. She released the catchy track in 2015 when they were still married.
However, after their contentious divorce in 2020, the Grammy winner famously changed the lyrics — and reflected on the editing process during last month's performance.
'I've never rewritten a song more and I probably never will,' she explained to fans. 'I wrote this song with a lot of hope and projection for happiness and better than what was happening. And then, well, life set in.'
Kelly Clarkson broke down in tears on stage. Picture: TikTok
The resurfaced video was taken days before her ex-husband's death. Picture: TikTok.
The TV star 'had to change the lyrics' because singing the original rendition was 'embarrassing' and not 'fun' for her.
However, Clarkson now thinks the change sounded 'a little angry' for her liking.
'I just wanted to explain how it feels now. I'm 43. I've done some therapy, and I changed the lyrics now and I think it's perfect. I promise. I'm not gonna change it again,' she noted.
'It just represents, kind of, I don't know, I feel like we grow up, right?' the Kelly Clarkson Show host continued. 'And this is the more grown-up version of it.'
When Clarkson found herself emotional once more, she turned her back to the audience and tried 'to pull it all together.'
She fought back tears and exclaimed, 'Oh, s**t. Let's make it happen. Screw it, let's just sing it. This is Piece by Piece.'
Brandon Blackstock passed away this month from cancer. Picture: Getty
In the tweaked lyrics, Clarkson changed the 'he' pronouns to 'I' as she sang about someone 'collecting [her] up off the ground' and 'filling the holes' her father 'burned' in her.
Instead of singing about a partner who 'takes care' of her, she crooned, 'I'm learning every day / How to love me / I let go of the shame / That you taught me.'
She concluded the chorus — initially about a 'kind … man' and a 'father [who] could stay,' by singing, 'Piece by piece, I restored my faith / A heart can still beat, even if it breaks.'
Clarkson abruptly cancelled her residency dates last week due to Blackstock being 'ill' — only for news to break one day later that the 48-year-old had lost a years-long battle to skin cancer.
The singer, who shared daughter River, 11, and son Remington, 9, with Blackstock, has yet to comment publicly on his passing.
Social media users praised Clarkson's emotional performance after the fact, with one pointing out, 'She did this knowing Brandon's time was coming to an end and her kid's hearts were going to break and she would be there for them to carry them through.'
Another gushed, 'Knowing she was singing this knowing her children's father was dying hits different.'
This story originally appeared on Page Six and is republished here with permission.
Originally published as Heartbreaking video of Kelly Clarkson in tears as she struggles through concert days before her ex-husband's death
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