Kelly Clarkson recently shared how her love for her daughter and husband opened old wounds caused by not having her own father around as a child.
She told the Associated Press that as she watched her husband, Brandon Blackstock, care for 8-month-old River Rose, she realized just how much she missed out on by not having a positive father figure.
“I think when you hold this little human you’ve created, now I think I understand the depth of the loss I had not having a father figure growing up. I didn’t really get that or grasp what that was until falling in love with my husband and seeing him be a father and what that actually is when it’s done well.”
The title track to her new album — “Piece by Piece” — is a very personal song about her father, with whom she says she has no relationship. When asked if the emotional song was difficult for her to record, she said no. However, she explained it is difficult to sing live — but, not because it’s sad.
“It wasn’t hard recording ‘Piece by Piece.’ It’s proving to be harder singing live… It’s not even the sad parts of it because I’m not there. I’m not in that place anymore, like where I’m sad about it. I’m in a very forgiving place about it and everybody’s human. But I think I get really choked up because I just realize how lucky I am… And a lot of girls that grew up with their daddy issues and with not having that figure in their life, you know, take a very different road, and I just feel lucky that I’m not that girl.”
The lyrics are very telling of how Clarkson’s scars have shaped the type of mother she will be.
“Piece by piece I fell far from the tree I will never leave her like you left me. And she will never have to wonder her worth because unlike you I’m gonna put her first.”
Kelly Clarkson revealed to People last month that her definition of success has changed since having a family of her own, as well. She also showed she doesn’t hold a grudge over the divorce of her parents, but she does want more for her family.
“My best friend always says, ‘You just want to create the family you never had.’ I might be doing that. In defense of my family, it happens. People fall out of love, and people go separate ways. People are human. I’ve accomplished a lot, but I guess the biggest success I want is that whenever I die people will say, ‘She was so successful as a mother, and as a wife.’ That’s kind of my big goal.”
The “Stronger” singer has used her difficulties in life to indeed become stronger — a stronger person, a stronger artist, a stronger wife, and mother. And, “Piece by Piece,” they have built her into the confident , talented, young woman she is today.
[Images by Cindy Ord/Getty Images and Kelly Clarkson/Facebook]
