Kelly Clarkson Said She Found Out Her Divorce Was Final Moments Before Her 2022 ACM Performance

When Kelly Clarkson performed the most sensational cover of “I Will Always Love You” as a tribute to Country Music Hall of Famer and host Dolly Parton at the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards back in March 2022, our goosebumps had goosebumps. And now we have just learned even more details about Clarkson’s super-emotional performance!

In a candid interview with Andy Cohen for SiriusXM Town Hall, the 41-year-old Kelly Clarkson Show host confessed that the song was actually chosen for her; and like most artists, she didn’t want to sing it due to how difficult it is to compete with the late Whitney Houston and Dolly Parton, the latter of which wrote the song. “No one wants to sing that song. You either have to be Whitney Houston or Dolly Parton,” Kelly said.

Kelly Clarkson Reveals The Real Reason Performing ‘I Will Always Love You’ Was So Difficult For Her

As well as having Houston and Parton’s vocals to compete with, Clarkson also said that the timing of the song couldn’t have been worse, as she had gotten the news that her divorce from Brandon Blackstock was final just moments before she took to the stage. Wow – talk about poor timing!

The American Idol alum told Cohen: “I’m looking at Dolly Parton and I’m like, I had just gotten my text of like, ‘Hey your divorce is final, like you’ve both signed.’ Like, right before getting on a stage to sing “I Will Always Love You.” I was like, ‘Screw you, universe.’ That’s the timing?”

“You wanna go up on stage and be singing “Since U Been Gone” or something,” Cohen joked. But despite the interesting, shall we say, timing, Clarkson ended up putting on a sensational performance – one which even got the attention of “Sometimes I Cry” singer Chris Stapleton!

According to Kelly, he sent her a text message (which she said she took a picture of because she is such a huge fan) to compliment her on her performance. Kelly said it put her on “cloud nine for like a week,” and added: “It just made me feel really special that someone I admire, and have admired for years, even before he came on the scene in a big way… on a song that no artist wants to sing, because you shouldn’t… it just made me feel really good. I don’t think he even knows, but that made me feel really special.” Aww!