Reba McEntire Moved to Tears Over ‘The Voice’ Performance

A moving country performance during The Voice‘s Knockout Rounds brought coach Reba McEntire to tears this week as she remembered her late stepson, Brandon Blackstock.

Contestant Aubrey Nicole, who’s on Team Reba, gave a powerhouse performance of Martina McBride‘s 2011 ballad “I’m Gonna Love You Through It” during an episode of the show on Monday night (Oct. 27).

The song is about finding strength in a loved one during a serious health battle, and the lyrics mention cancer by name.

“Cancer don’t discriminate or care if you’re just 38 / With three kids who need you in their lives,” Nicole sang at one point in her performance.

Those lyrics hit close to home for McEntire, who lost her stepson Brandon Blackstock to cancer in August.

Blackstock was formerly married to Kelly Clarkson, and he and Clarkson share two children. He was also dad to two older kids from his previous marriage to Melissa Ashworth.

What Was Reba McEntire’s Reaction to the Performance?

The contestant, Aubrey Nicole, chose to perform this song in honor of her father. He was diagnosed with cancer when she was a young adult but is now in remission, according to NBC.

After she finished performing, McEntire accepted a tissue from fellow coach Snoop Dogg and dabbed her eyes.

“I lost my oldest son because he did not win his battle with cancer,” she reflected as she gave feedback on the performance.

“That was a real reminder that life goes on, and we sing songs about it so we can remember the ones around us that we love so much, that we lean on in times like this,” McEntire continued. “You did a great job.”

Nicole ultimately won the Knockout Round, and she’ll proceed to the next stage of the competition.

How Did Brandon Blackstock Die?

• Blackstock died on Aug. 7 after a private battle with malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer.
• He was 48 years old.
• He was the father of four children. He shared 11-year-old River Rose and 9-year-old Remington Alexander with Clarkson, and he shared 23-year-old Savannah and 18-year-old Seth with his ex-wife Melissa Ashworth.

Read More: Brandon Blackstock’s Cause of Death Revealed

After he died, McEntire shared a heartfelt tribute to her stepson on social media, writing, “His struggle is over and he is in eternal peace in God’s presence.”

What Has Kelly Clarkson Said About Brandon Blackstock’s Death?

Clarkson has yet to issue a public statement about her ex-husband’s death.

Just hours before the news was announced, Clarkson revealed that Blackstock was ill as she postponed all of her August dates in her Las Vegas residency.

“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,” she stated.

Will Kelly Clarkson Talk About Blackstock’s Death on Her Talk Show?

A new season of The Kelly Clarkson Show began this fall, and the theme of this season is “light.”

While she may not directly speak about her ex-husband’s death on the couch, the season will draw from the goings-on in Clarkson’s personal life in more abstract ways, like in the music chosen for the episodes.

In an interview with USA Today, music director Jason Halbert said, “You’re going to see some songs reflect some things that maybe she wouldn’t talk about verbally in a sitting-on-the-couch interview.”

Clarkson also discussed grief during her The Kelly Clarkson Show interview with Lionel Richie. The conversation used the lens of his new memoir, which includes difficult topics such as the death of his parents.

Read More: Kelly Clarkson Discusses Grief in New Lionel Ritchie Interview

She didn’t directly speak about Blackstock in that interview, but Clarkson did bring some of her own perspective on grief to the conversation, acknowledging, “It hits you in waves.”