Kelly Clarkson on Working Through Depression, ‘Extraordinarily Hard’ Divorce: ‘I’m Taking My Power Back’ (Exclusive) 

2023 Kelly Clarkson included some pretty impressive highlights.

But if you ask the 41-year-old superstar, there’s one memory that stands out: when her daughter River Rose, 9, and son Remington Alexander, 7, joined her on stage at her Las Vegas residency in August. “They were a little nervous, but it was their idea, not mine,” Clarkson tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story about her children, who she shares with ex-husband Brandon Blackstock.

Performing in front of a sold-out theater, River chose to duet her mom’s hit “Heartbeat Song,” while Remington gleefully danced in support as Clarkson sang “Whole Lotta Woman.”

As her children watched their mom captivate the audience, “I thought, ‘I feel like what you’re looking at me is the same as how you’re looking at Spider-Man,'” Clarkson recalls. “It caught me completely off guard and it was the most magical moment because they were so happy and relaxed. They were simply in awe.”

Kelly Clarkson on the cover of PEOPLE. Kelly Clarkson Says Her Kids Don’t Understand ‘Fame’ and ‘Think Everybody’ Performs On Stage (Exclusive)

Since winning the first season American Idol In 2002, Clarkson built a unique career in showbiz. Counting 10 studio albums behind her, she also won three Grammys (her last album Chemistry was nominated for the best pop vocal album), he worked as a coach at Vote and started her own talk show, which saw her move from LA to New York for season 5.

Although her talk show just won six Daytime Emmys — including outstanding daytime talk show host Clarkson — her Vegas residency, which added more shows over the winter, is named after her latest album, a collection of songs written about the unraveling of her almost seven years of marriage with Blackstock, her former manager.

Kelly Clarkson for PEOPLE.

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Kelly Clarkson Felt ‘Depressed’ For Years Before Moving To NYC: ‘I Really Needed A Change’ (Exclusive)

When she started writing Chemistry, “I didn’t see it except: This is my way out. I am a released person; I don’t mind. So it was really digging into what happened in my life and why—and what am I going to do about it?” she says.

“I can’t express how grateful I am to have such a healthy outlet. Because the level of depression and things that come with divorce or grieving are extremely difficult. You feel lonely and it’s a real blessing to have an outlet for those emotions that overwhelm you.”

I’m finally letting it go”[was] like, ‘I’m taking my power back,'” adds Clarkson. “That sounds very therapeutic, but that’s because I love therapy and I think it’s important to have those tools to manage your life and your relationships.”

Kelly Clarkson for PEOPLE.

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Kelly Clarkson says she’s still not ready for romance after divorce: ‘I need to work on myself a bit more’

Today, as a single mother builds her own village in New York, Clarkson, who is also a Wayfair ambassador, is especially grateful for new beginnings. “Sometimes you don’t know what life has in store for you and you think your life will go in one direction, and it’s okay that it isn’t,” she says. “You never know how beautiful it could be.”

The Kelly Clarkson Show broadcasts on weekdays. Check local station listings and times.

Kelly Clarkson for PEOPLE.

Weiss Eubanks

For more of Clarkson’s exclusive interview, pick up this week’s issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere Friday.

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