Kelly Clarkson’s Dating History: Exes, Boyfriends, Husbands

Kelly Clarkson is best known as the first American Idol winner, a Grammy award-winning singer and a talk show host. But a few lucky guys knew her as “bae.”

Before meeting her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, Kelly kept her dating life casual and mostly out of the spotlight.

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Now that her divorce is finalized, fans want to see her on the dating scene again. However, it doesn’t seem to be in the cards… at least for now. In September 2023, Kelly declared “I love being single,” on an Instagram Live. Also in the clip, she reflected on her relationship with Brandon, noting that “you think you’re going to spend the rest of your life with somebody, and you don’t. That’s hard to start over.”

Keep scrolling below to take a look back at Kelly Clarkson’s dating history.

Justin Guarini

American Idol fans speculated that the season 1 winner was dating her runner-up, Justin Guarini, during the flagship season. However, Kelly revealed during a 2015 interview on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen that the singers did date, just not while they were filming the competition show.

“We didn’t date during Idol, which everybody thought, but we did date during — I feel like we weren’t dating during [From Justin to Kelly], but I feel like maybe we did,” Clarkson said. “We did date a little bit.”

Graham Colton

Graham Colton’s group, The Graham Colton Band, opened for Clarkson’s Breakaway and Hazel Eyes Tours. The duo started dating in 2015 and split after just six months.

Still, it seems the pair parted on good terms. “He will always be one of my best friends. I’m not sad, really, because our relationship made me believe in love again,” she told German magazine Bravo (via Irish Examiner).

David Hodges

The America Idol star briefly dated musician David Hodges but in 2007 she told Blender Magazine (via The Hollywood Gossip) that she “didn’t even really like the guy,” adding, “Maybe that’s why I don’t date much, either.”

Years later, David seemed to hint that one of Kelly’s breakup hits was about him. “I gotta say, kelly clarkson’s ‘already gone’ is a great song. It’s been in my head all day,” David wrote on Twitter in 2009.

Brandon Blackstock

Kelly and Brandon got together in 2011. They announced their engagement in December 2012 and got married on October 20, 2013. The pair welcomed two children, River and Remington, before Clarkson filed for divorce in June 2020. The divorce was finalized in 2022.

In June 2023, Kelly told E! News she’s “very happy” and “in a great place” after the split. Still, she’s not looking to jump into another relationship.

“I’m just enjoying me and I’m enjoying my children and I’m enjoying my work,” she explained. “I love what I’m doing right now. And I am a little hesitant, because stepparent situations aren’t always great for everyone, or even having another person involved.”