Kelly Clarkson became emotional ahead of a performance at her Las Vegas “Studio Sessions” show just 12 days before her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock passed away. The “American Idol” alum broke down in tears explaining the lyric changes she made for the song “Piece by Piece.”
Kelly Clarkson Delivers Emotional Performance Ahead of Ex Brandon Blackstock’s Death
In a TikTok video from Clarkson’s July 26, 2025, concert in Vegas, Clarkson spoke ahead of her performance of the song “Piece by Piece.” As she explained why she had rewritten the lyrics, she was moved to tears.
“I’ve never rewritten a song more, and I probably never will. I wrote this song with a lot of hope and projection for happiness and better than what was happening,” she explained. “And then, well, life set in and I had to change the lyrics.”
Clarkson continued, “Everybody was like, ‘Wait, why aren’t you singing this song?’ And I was like, ‘Have you heard the lyrics?’ That’s fun. Embarrassing.”
She shared, “And then I ended up changing it and doing it one time, like two years ago, we did a residency here. And then I was like, ‘You know what, that sounded a little angry.'” She noted she wanted to express “how it feels now.”
“I’m 43. I’ve done some therapy, and I changed the lyrics now, and I feel like it’s perfect now,” the “Idol” winner said. “I promise. I swear to god I’m not gonna change it again. This new lyric, it just represents, kind of a, I don’t know, I feel like we grow up, right? And this is the more grown up version of it.”
She added, “I’m really trying to pull it together.” The singer turned around to wipe the tears away before saying, “Screw it, let’s just sing it. This is ‘Piece by Piece.'”
Brandon Blackstock Passed Away After a Long Battle With Cancer
On August 6, Clarkson took to Instagram to announce she was postponing her remaining August shows in Vegas. She noted at the time that her ex-husband was “ill.”
“Unfortunately, I need to postpone the remainder of the August Studio Session dates in Las Vegas,” she shared on Instagram. “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.”
Clarkson added, “I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows and I so appreciate your grace, kindness and understanding.”
One day later, Blackstock’s family shared the news that he had died after a battle with cancer. He was 48.
“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” a spokesperson for Blackstock’s family said in a statement. “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.”
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Kelly Clarkson Broke Down on Stage Days Before Ex Brandon Blackstock’s Passing