Kelly Clarkson warned ex-husband Brandon Blackstock before releasing post-divorce album Chemistry

It’s been more than three years in the making.

But the time has finally come for Kelly Clarkson to release her new studio album, Chemistry, which she revealed is largely inspired by the emotional journey she went through during her bitter divorce from Brandon Blackstock.

The lyrical subject matter is said to be so personal that she felt it was appropriate to warn her ex-husband, who had also served as her manager, by way of text before it was released on Friday.

‘I don’t even remember why or how it happened, but I was like, “Hey, I didn’t just diminish us down to one [thing],”‘ she explained during an interview on Today, while in New York promoting the album.

“‘You know what I’m saying? It’s all in there, the ride. The beauty is in there, as well. Now there’s a lot of pain, but that’s what happens for all of us.”‘

The original American Idol winner confessed she couldn’t foresee Blackstock sitting down to listen to all of the songs, line-by-line, but still she found herself editing herself, and at times holding back, during the writing process for the sake of their two children

‘It’s very personal,’ she admitted. ‘And I’ve always released personal music — I think I’m that kind of writer in general, everybody knows that.’

It sounds as if her kids — daughter River Rose, nine, and son Remington ‘Remy’ Alexander, seven — were always on her mind when writing the songs directly inspired by the divorce.

‘I think when you have kids … you kind of debate, “What am I going to do here?” So I was very selective about the songs I picked for the album.’

Clarkson and Blackstock had been married for about seven years when she filed for divorce in June 2020, citing irreconcilable differences.

It took two years of heartache and court battles, but they finally settled the legal wrangling of their split in March 2022.

It was during those tough and emotional times that Clarkson started writing songs for what would eventually turn out to be Chemistry.

She poured her very personal thoughts and feelings into the storytelling of the lyrics and music. But after finishing the new batch of songs she realized she wasn’t ready to share them with the world and put them on the back burner.

Personal record: During an interview on the Today show in Manhattan, Clarkson revealed she warned her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, about the record’s very personal lyrics that are largely focused on their bitter two-year divorce

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After telling Blackstock that she ‘didn’t just diminish us down to one [thing]’ in the lyrics of the songs, the singer-songwriter confessed, ‘It’s all in there, the ride. The beauty is in there, as well. Now there’s a lot of pain, but that’s what happens for all of us’

Heartbreaking: Clarkson, 41, and Blackstock, 46, had been married for about seven years when Clarkson filed for divorce in June 2020; they are pictured in 2018

Ultimately, Clarkson took three years to come to a place where she was comfortable enough to let people in on her emotional journey.

She also used the time to sift through the songs, pick the ones she thought best represented her story, which ended up being 14 tracks, 12 of them were co-written by Clarkson.

‘I waited until I was like through it. So now it’s like a different chapter for me,’ she explained of the process. ‘So I had to wait in order to put this out, so that I could have interviews and just honestly so I wouldn’t be crying in all of them. It’s very intense going through that kind of loss, it’s grief.’

During an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe earlier in the week, the Fort Worth, Texas native admitted she ‘cried so hard’ she ‘couldn’t even speak’ during those two years when she realized the marriage wasn’t going to survive.

Clarkson even confessed she did not handle the adversity gracefully, when behind closed doors.

Despite having time to heal, the Since U Been Gone star has been very open and honest about never wanting to marry again. During the new interview she reinforced that thought by revealing she’s ‘not looking’ for love any time soon.

Promotional push: The musician and talk show host also went into promo mode on her social media platforms, including Instagram

Socializing: ‘The album came out today, y’all. It’s finally out, oh my gosh, I wrote it so long ago I can’t believe it’s finally happening,’ the Since U Been Gone star said while sitting in an office room of a skyscraper in New York City on Friday

Impactful: After sharing her enthusiasm for the new album, the Texas native said her biggest hope is that it can help anyone who may be going through a hard time in their lives

The mother of two also went into promo mode and announced the release of the new album in a couple of Instagram posts.

‘The wait is finally over! my new album #chemistry is available everywhere now. i hope y’all enjoy it! stream it now at the link in my bio,’ she wrote, along with clip of her performing.

She also shared a direct message to fans while on her promotional push in New York City.

‘The album came out today, y’all. It’s finally out, oh my gosh, I wrote it so long ago I can’t believe it’s finally happening,’ she said while sitting in an office room of a skyscraper. 

‘I’ve been hearing really good things. I’m very excited. Thank you so much to the fans’ she shared, while referencing some of the fans she met during a karaoke night on Thursday where she sang a few songs.

She went on to reveal that her biggest hope for this album is that it can help anyone who may be going through a hard time in their lives.

Up close with fans: During her social medial message on Friday, Clarkson thanked fans for coming out to karaoke night on Thursday, where she sang a few songs and chatted with the live audience about Chemistry

Fan friendly: The Stronger singer also took time out for some selfies with fans

Promoting Chemistry: Clarkson also shared a video of her performing for one of her social media post in promotion of Chemistry on Friday

Clarkson previously let fans in on why the album, which is her tenth of her career, is called Chemistry. 

‘I was trying to find a word that really described the whole thing,’ she shared in an Instagram post in late March.’I didn’t want everybody to think I was coming out with some just like, “I’m angry, I’m sad,” just one or two emotions, you know? This album is definitely the arc of an entire relationship, and a whole relationship shouldn’t be just brought down to one thing.’  

The Kelly Clarkson Show host went on to share that she thinks ‘chemistry can be a really amazing, sexy, cool fun thing, but it can also be vey bad for you.’

Chemistry will be Clarkson’s first new studio album since she dropped her second Christmas-themed collection – When Christmas Comes Around… – in October 2021.

She hasn’t put out a traditional album of all-new material since 2017’s Meaning Of Life, featuring the singles Love So Soft, I Don’t Think About You and Heat.