Kelly Clarkson Clarifies Her Name Change
Lasting nearly two years, the messy timeline of Kelly Clarkson's divorce is coming to a close. The split was finalized with Clarkson agreeing to pay her ex Brandon Blackstock a one-time payment of over $1.3 million and monthly child support payments amounting to $45,601, according to The Blast. In the mix of legal documents dealing with financial and property battles, the singer also requested a name change.
The court documents, originally obtained by Us Weekly, were filed in February as the divorce entered the final stages of being settled. Clarkson wished to drop her last name and instead be referred to as her first and middle — Kelly Brianne. The reason given at the time of the filing? "My new name more fully reflects who I am," she explained.
The following month marked the series premiere of Clarkson's latest NBC project — a competition show titled "American Song Contest" that she co-hosts with Snoop Dogg. While celebrating the exciting start to the new opportunity, Clarkson has clarified what exactly her name change means going forward.
Kelly Clarkson says her name change is for her private life
The premiere of "American Song Contest" continues to add to Kelly Clarkson's NBC credentials. As Blake Shelton has joked in the past, with her hosting and judging duties on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" and "The Voice," NBC "stands for 'Nothing But Clarkson,'" per USA Today. The singer's decision to change her name legally to Kelly Brianne, however, is no joke.
While walking the carpet at the premiere, Clarkson shared a little insight into the decision with PEOPLE (the TV Show!). "I just got divorced, so I had to drop my married last name," she explained. Seeing as the divorce inspired her ex-husband Brandon Blackstone to put his career in the music industry on the back burner to become a full-time rancher, a post-divorce name change seems fairly traditional. The talk show host cleared up any confusion on the matter and simply stated, "I just kept my middle name for my personal life. I'm still Kelly Clarkson." With this, she acknowledged how her extremely recognizable moniker would be difficult to switch and joked, "I don't think I can change Clarkson at this point. I'm 20 years in!"
With career moves set, how is Clarkson moving on? A source told Us Weekly that she has indeed "entered the dating world," but noted time for romance is hard with such a busy schedule. Hopefully, there is space for both Clarkson and Brianne to pursue what is needed during this next chapter.