Kelly Clarkson Recalls a “Beautiful” Moment With Dolly Parton After Her Divorce
Written by WorldOneFm on October 1, 2026
Kelly Clarkson has opened up about an emotional moment she shared with Dolly Parton shortly after her divorce from Brandon Blackstock was finalized.
During an appearance on the Las Culturistas podcast on Wednesday, Clarkson recalled performing Dolly’s iconic song “I Will Always Love You” at the 2022 Academy of Country Music Awards as a tribute to the country music legend.
Clarkson revealed that her divorce from Blackstock was finalized just 30 minutes before she was scheduled to take the stage.
“(Dolly) kind of caught me,” Clarkson recalled. “We were having a conversation about something else, and I was like, ‘I’m sorry. It’s just kind of a wild moment for me.’”
The singer said she had a private moment backstage with Parton, although she did not reveal exactly what the two discussed.
“She’s just one of those people you don’t have to know your whole life, but you can in one instance,” Clarkson said. “Every time we ran into each other, she was so cool. It’s like you’re catching up with an old friend.”
Clarkson added that whatever Parton said to her backstage had a lasting impact.
“That moment for me and what she said backstage to me was just a really beautiful thing, and really helpful,” she said.
Before taking the stage, Clarkson recalled telling herself, “You cannot break,” because she wanted to remain focused on honoring Parton.
“So much had just been lifted. It was just a really weird hour for me,” she said. “But, anyway, she was very, very cool, and I’ll never forget that moment.”
Parton died at age 80 in August following a brief battle with cancer.
Clarkson and Blackstock were married from 2013 until their divorce was finalized in March 2022. They share two children, daughter River, 12, and son Remington, 10.
Blackstock died at age 48 in August 2025 following a battle with melanoma.
During the podcast interview, Clarkson also revealed that she is not currently dating. The singer said she is enjoying her life and believes that introducing a new relationship could be disruptive for her children.
“Honestly, this is not a bulls**t answer. I love my life right now,” Clarkson said. “It just got to where I am not exhausted at every point of it.”
