Kelly Clarkson found a moment of laughter and levity during a difficult conversation about grief on a recent episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show.
The singer and talk show host was in conversation with Lionel Richie about his new memoir, Truly: The Official Inspirational Journey Through the Life of a Musical Legend.
Though Richie’s book is wide-ranging, this particular conversation centered around Richie had to process difficult emotions while writing it. Specifically, he brought up how it felt to revisit the deaths of his parents.
Richie said he’d find himself “crying” at unexpected moments, simply because he was “reliving” the hardest moments of his life.
He also joked about how he put off writing his memoir for much of his life. But at a certain point, the singer — now 76 years old — realized that if he wanted to complete this project, he should do it sooner rather than later.
Richie suggested to Clarkson that life goes faster than she might realize, and if she wants to write a memoir project, she should start it sooner than she thinks is necessary.
“I don’t,” she shot back, adding, “A lot of it is hard.”
How Did Kelly Clarkson Talk About Grief During Her Lionel Richie Interview?
Of course, Clarkson is currently in the midst of her own painful grieving process.
Her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock died in early August after a private cancer battle. The former couple were married for nearly seven years and share two children.
Read More: Reba McEntire Shares Update on How Kelly Clarkson’s Kids Are Doing After Brandon Blackstock’s Death
Clarkson has yet to issue a public statement about Blackstock’s death, and it’s unclear whether she’ll address the loss directly during this season of The Kelly Clarkson Show.
But during her conversation with Richie, the singer spoke about the impact of grief, acknowledging at one point, “It hits you in waves.”
“I do think that a lot of people deal with grief in such a different way, but I love that you say, ‘Grief is the great teacher of what matters most,” Clarkson reflected.
“And I think that no matter how you deal with grief — it is very different, everyone — but I do find that very true,” she continued.
Another point Richie made in the conversation — “If it hurts so badly, that means you loved so deeply” — also seemed to ring true for Clarkson.
“Aw, s–t,” she replied, falling back in her chair as the weight of that sentiment hit her.
Richie stood up and put his hand on Clarkson’s forehead, jokingly relieving her of the grief she’s been carrying.
“I feel good,” she said, laughing, after that interaction.
Will Kelly Clarkson Talk About Her Ex-Husband’s Death on Her Show?
Clarkson hasn’t publicly commented on Blackstock’s death, and there’s no indication that she’ll do so directly on Season 7 of The Kelly Clarkson Show.
But it’s likely she’ll bring the emotions of her personal life into some facets of her performance this season.
In a recent interview with USA Today, the show’s musical director Jason Halbert said that those emotions will be embedded in the music of the talk show.
“You’re going to see some songs reflect things that maybe she wouldn’t talk about verbally in a sitting-on-the-couch interview,” he explained.
Read More: How Kelly Clarkson’s Show Will Address Ex-Husband’s Death
The theme of this season of The Kelly Clarkson Show is “light,” and many elements of “finding the light” in dark times have already shown up during its first week on air.
During the season premiere, Clarkson filmed an emotional conversation with some of the first responders and bus drivers who rescued Camp Mystic children from the deadly floods that hit Texas Hill Country in July 2025.
The singer wiped away tears as she listened to one bus driver recount her experience of delivering children to a reunification center, recalling what it was like to face the parents of children who weren’t accounted for.
Read More: A Still-Missing Camper’s Family Protests the Reopening of Camp Mystic After Texas Floods
A poignant moment of comfort and hope came when another driver remembered the girls on her bus comforting each other by singing Christian songs together.
Halbert told USA Today that filming that segment was “emotional for all of us.”
How Did Brandon Blackstock Die?
Blackstock died on Aug. 7 after a private, three-year battle with cancer. He was 48.
He was the father of four children: River Rose, 11, and Remington Alexander, 9, with Clarkson, and Savannah, 23, and Seth, 18, with ex-wife Melissa Ashworth.
Just hours before his death was announced, Clarkson revealed that he was sick as she postponed all August dates of her Las Vegas residency.
Read More: Kelly Clarkson Fans Get Answers After Months of Unexplained Absences
At the time, she said she needed to be “fully present” for her children as their dad battled serious illness, but didn’t offer any further details.
That announcement also shed some light on a possible reason why Clarkson missed several tapings of her show this spring.
10 Covers That Prove Kelly Clarkson Is a Country Queen
Kelly Clarkson has never released a full country project, but she’s still country royalty in our eyes! Here are 10 of Clarkson’s best country performances, from her twangiest Kellyoke covers to a collaboration with two of the hottest modern-day country acts.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
