Kelly Clarkson’s performance of Garth Brooks’ classic country hit “The Dance” at the Kennedy Center Honors in May 2021 was more than just a stunning rendition. For Clarkson, the song represented a powerful symbol of her resilience in overcoming the challenges of her divorce from Brandon Blackstock, which was settled in March 2022.
According to People Magazine, the divorce agreement stated that Clarkson would pay Blackstock a one-time payment of $1.3 million, in addition to monthly child support payments of $45,601 for their two children. Despite the financial implications, the former couple agreed to have joint custody of their children, who will reside with Clarkson in her Los Angeles home.
The thought of performing “The Dance” in front of Brooks himself was a daunting prospect for Clarkson, who admitted to feeling nervous before the performance. “I was texting Trisha Yearwood before the show and then I go on stage and I saw them and like all of a sudden I am the sweatiest human on planet earth. And I got a little nervous, and I don’t get nervous singing. Yep, I didn’t enjoy that!” she told Entertainment Today in June 2021.
For Clarkson, “The Dance” had a deep personal significance that went beyond its status as a classic country hit. In an interview with Brooks on “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” she revealed that the song helped her cope with the emotional turmoil of her divorce. “I couldn’t quite nail down the feeling. I was, like, well, you don’t want to crap on it. Like, you don’t want to say that didn’t count or matter, but you don’t know what to put in it because it didn’t work out how you wanted, and so, anyway, I kid you not, I was listening to my playlist and ‘The Dance’ came on and I was like, ‘No, that’s the thing. That’s it.’”
Clarkson also shared that singing “The Dance” as a child never held the same emotional weight for her until the difficult period of her divorce. Through her performance, she was able to turn the pain of her divorce into a triumphant symbol of her strength and resilience.
