Kelly Clarkson.Photo:Mike Coppola/Getty
Mike Coppola/Getty
Moving to New York City gaveKelly Clarksona new lease on life.
At SiriusXM’s Next Generation Industry & Press Preview event in N.Y.C. on Wednesday, the 41-year-old pop superstar opened up to PEOPLE about moving her NBC talk show from Los Angeles to the Big Apple and how the change has impacted her mental health.
“I was very depressed for the last three years — and maybe a little before that, if I’m being honest. I think I really needed the change,” Clarkson tells PEOPLE. “I needed it for me and my family as well. My kids are thriving here. We’re just doing so much better, and we needed a fresh start.”
Kelly Clarkson.Bryan Bedder/Getty
Bryan Bedder/Getty
The Grammy winner relocated to the East Coast with her two children, daughter River Rose, 9, and son Remington Alexander, 7, ahead of last month’s season 5 premiere ofThe Kelly Clarkson Show, which previously taped in California. The move also came shortly after Clarkson’s divorce from ex-husbandBrandon Blackstockafter nearly seven years of marriage wasfinalized in June 2022.
“Emotionally, I’m better,” says Clarkson, whose divorce partly inspired her latest albumChemistry, which was released in June and chronicles the intense highs and lows of a long-term relationship.
For a significant amount of time before coming to N.Y.C., the “Miss Independent” singer didn’t necessarily feel as though she was allowing herself the time and space to process her own feelings.
“I think we get kind of tied up, and you feel like you have to keep going and keep smiling for others,” explains Clarkson. “You can only compartmentalize so much, you know? And I’m very good at it, but you can only do that for so long.”
Kelly Clarkson.Cindy Ord/Getty
Cindy Ord/Getty
She’s even become so accustomed to the city that her favorite method of transportation is the subway, even though many celebrities of her stature wouldn’t want to trap themselves in a confined, often crowded space.
Kelly Clarkson.Mike Coppola/Getty
“I have literally never been bothered on the subway. Maybe just like, ‘Oh, hey, I like your music,’ but then they walk off,” adds Clarkson. “That’s what I love about New Yorkers. Everybody’s got their own life. They’re like, ‘Yours is not more important than mine, so have a nice day.'”
During the SiriusXM event, theAmerican Idolalum announced the launch of her own year-round channel with the broadcast company, Kelly Clarkson Connection, where she’ll play a mix of her own songs and other artists’ music across all genres.
“Music is such a personal experience for all of us, and I am stoked to have the opportunity to curate a channel of all of my favorites,” said the musician in a press statement. “I hope that people tune in and enjoy it as much as I loved making it!”
source: people.com
