Kelly Clarkson Never Felt 'Sexually Attracted' to Anybody Before Brandon Blackstock — Photos of a Love Story That Ended in Tragedy

Their whirlwind romance, emotional highs, and heartbreaking ending are captured in this chronological look at their love story told through unforgettable photos.

From an instant spark at the Super Bowl to an emotional goodbye years later, Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock's love story had all the hallmarks of a modern fairytale — until it wasn't.

The couple's romance began long before they said "I do." The pair first met in 2006 at a rehearsal for the American Country Music Awards.

The singer later recalled watching Blackstock walk by, cracking jokes, and instantly thinking, "I'm gonna end up with him. I know it." Years later, fate brought them back together, and everything changed.

The two crossed paths again at the Super Bowl in 2012. Clarkson was performing the national anthem, while Blackstock was there as Blake Shelton's manager. While the moment was high-stakes, Clarkson later revealed her nerves had more to do with impressing Blackstock than the audience.

"I was so nervous because it wasn't that I didn't want to suck for the millions of people watching," she recalled. "I didn't want to suck because I was trying to impress a guy. I wanted him to be like, 'Damn.' It had nothing to do with the Super Bowl!"

Clarkson added that she and Blackstock hadn't even known each other well at that point. Still, something clicked. "He had walked past me once and there was a moment in my crazy head," she said.

Although Clarkson kept her feelings to herself, she later admitted, "Inside I was like, 'Ask me out!' But outside I was like, 'I love being single and coming home every night alone. It's awesome.'"

After reconnecting, the pair began dating and their relationship quickly became serious. Clarkson, who had only dated three other men before him, soon took to social media with big news.

"I'M ENGAGED!!!!! I wanted y'all to know!! Happiest night of my life last night! I am so lucky and am with the greatest man ever :)," she shared on X.

The couple later tied the knot in 2013 during a private ceremony at Blackberry Farms in Tennessee. "I'm officially Mrs. Blackstock :)," Clarkson wrote on social media, announcing the milestone to fans.

After saying "I do," the famous singer got candid with fans and opened up about her and her new husband's chemistry. Speaking at a private SiriusXM show in 2017, she shared that Blackstock was the first man she had ever felt physically drawn to.

"This isn't a downer to anybody I dated before him, but I'm just going to be real. I never felt like, honestly, sexually attracted to anybody before him," Clarkson revealed. "And I'm not downing my exes...but there was something about him."

Over the next several years, the couple welcomed two children — daughter River Rose and son Remington Alexander — and settled into family life. But behind the scenes, the relationship grew increasingly strained.

Then, after nearly seven years of marriage, Clarkson filed for divorce. The split was finalized in 2022, following a lengthy and often contentious legal battle.

According to reports, Clarkson agreed to pay Blackstock a one-time, tax-free payment of $1,326,161, along with $45,601 in monthly child support. They shared joint custody of the children, though they would reside with Clarkson in Los Angeles.

The agreement also included plans for COVID-19 vaccinations, due to travel concerns between households. In the months that followed, Clarkson spoke candidly about the toll the breakup took on her mental health, and the growth it forced.

"I'm taking my power back," she said in 2024, reflecting on her battle with depression and what she called an "extraordinarily hard" divorce. The famous singer also discussed how parenthood shifted her perspective on vulnerability and emotional honesty.

"I think the most important thing I've learned in therapy, especially through this divorce, is don't hide everything from your kids," she explained. "[...] It's OK if they see you cry. [...] You allow your kids to express empathy."

Then, tragedy struck. On August 7, 2025, Clarkson announced she was postponing her Las Vegas residency dates, writing on Instagram in part, "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."

One day later, the heartbreaking news was confirmed — Blackstock had died. A statement from the family read, "It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away. Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years."

In the end, Kelly Clarkson and her ex-husband's love story — once marked by instant chemistry and public declarations of devotion — ended in heartbreak.

But through it all, Clarkson has continued to center her children and her healing, emerging from the wreckage with a renewed sense of strength and honesty.