Kelly Clarkson Opened Up About Her ‘Daily’ Struggle With Depression Amid Her Divorce

In a candid conversation with Demi Lovato, Kelly Clarkson opened up about her depression amid her divorce from Brandon Blackstock. The conversation occurred on the Wednesday, June 24, episode of the former American Idol winner’s talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show. In the episode, Clarkson opened up to Lovato, who was a guest, about her mental health and her “daily” struggle with depression.

“I have similar issues, and I suffer from depression,” she said at the time. “I think a lot of people, especially in the creative world, or just from childhood, you’ve been kind of trained to, like, just keep going and you can handle it. Especially as a woman, it’s like, ‘Don’t let ‘em see you sweat.’”

The “Give Your Heart a Break” singer then opened up to Clarkson about how she inspired her to pursue a career in music and be “outspoken and vulnerable” about her struggles as a celebrity.

“You were, like, the first idol that I ever had. I wouldn’t be the artist—or even the person that I am, with being so outspoken and vulnerable and fearless—if I hadn’t had you to look up to, so I thank you for that,” Lovato said. “When I was younger, I always thought to myself, ‘If I ever make it, I want to be like her because she’s real and she’s genuine.’”

The “Behind These Hazel Eyes” songstress went on to talk to the former Disney Channel star about how staying positive amid her depression isn’t easy and “takes work.”

“That’s a daily effort,” Clarkson said. “That’s not like a given, like you’re over it and you went to some magical therapy session and it’s over. I think that’s a daily thing that you work at and a daily thing that I work at.”

Lovato and Clarkson’s chat about mental health comes three weeks after she filed to divorce her husband, music manager Brandon Blackstock, after almost seven years of marriage. The couple share two kids: daughter River, 6, and son Remington, 4.

A source told Entertainment Tonight at the time that Clarkson and Blackstock’s breakup was a long time coming. “Kelly and Brandon had been having problems for several months and were making a conscious effort to work things out. They both hoped quarantining away from L.A. in Montana would help them work things out in their marriage, but instead the change in environment was actually detrimental,” the insider said.