Kelly Clarkson was seen tearing up on stage last month during an emotional performance days before her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock passed away.
In a resurfaced video from her July 26 Studio Session concert, part of her Las Vegas residency, the "Breakaway" singer broke down in tears while introducing a revamped version of her 2015 hit "Piece by Piece," a heartfelt song to her estranged father about how Blackstock was a better father and partner, per People.
In the clip, Clarkson was seemingly psyching herself up to hold back the tears, jumping around and telling herself "compartmentalization" as she tried "to pull it together" while explaining all the changes she's made to the song made throughout the years. She previously changed up the lyrics while performing the track in 2023 following her split from her ex. Clarkson filed for divorce in 2020 after seven years of marriage, and their divorce was finalized in 2022.
The new performance once again featured a lyric change to better showcase how she feels today compared to the previous rendition, calling it the "more grown up version." Rather than 2023's version where she declared, "I just walk away, when they ask for money. I take care of me 'cause I love me. Piece by piece I restored my faith that a heart can still beat even when it breaks," she sang, "I'm learning everyday how to love me. I let go of the shame that you taught me. Piece by piece I restored the faith that a heart can still beat even if it breaks."
"I've never rewritten a song more and I probably never will," she admitted to the crowd before the performance. "I wrote this song with a lot of hope and projection for happiness and better than what was happening. And then, well, life set in and I had to change the lyrics. Everybody was like, 'Wait, why aren't you singing this song?' And I was like, 'Have you heard the lyrics?' That's fun. Embarrassing."
She continued, "I ended up changing the lyrics. We did it one time, I did a residency here, and then I was like, 'You know what, that sounded a little angry.' So I just wanted to explain how it feels now. I'm 43. I've done some therapy, and I changed the lyrics now and I think it's perfect. I promise. I'm not gonna change it again."
The performance came less than two weeks before her ex, with whom she shares two kids, passed away at 48 following a private battle with cancer. A representative for the family confirmed his passing on August 7.
"It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away," the rep said in a statement. "Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family's privacy during this very difficult time."