Celebrity branding is such an ingrained thing in our society. I remember, years ago, reading something so true: people still refer to the Duchess of Cambridge by her maiden name because the “Kate Middleton” brand was so strong. Kate was already “famous” with her maiden name for years before she became a duchess. Well, Kelly Clarkson thinks she’s famous enough to change her name and somehow retain the Kelly Clarkson brand. As her contentious divorce is in the final stages, Kelly wants a fresh start and a new name: Kelly Brianne.
Kelly Clarkson is making changes in her life. The singer and daytime talk show host is seeking to change her well-known name. Clarkson, 39, has filed the required court documents to request a legal name change, according to multiple reports. The songstress reportedly has a “desire” to go by Kelly Brianne — which would be her first and middle names.
The documents state that the singer feels that “my new name more fully reflects who I am,” according to Us Weekly.
The documents were filed on Monday, and a court date to hear and review the petition is set for March 28. It’s unclear at this time what impact the legal name change would have on Clarkson’s various branded projects, including her eponymous talk series, The Kelly Clarkson Show.
The push to change her name comes amid a somewhat contentious divorce from ex Brandon Blackstock. Clarkson filed for divorce from Blackstock in June 2020 after nearly seven years of marriage. The two share 7-year-old daughter, River, and 5-year-old son, Remington.
I love Kelly but I think this is dumb! I get wanting a fresh start, and wanting to draw a line under the chaotic Blackstock marriage, but girl… you ARE Kelly Clarkson. That’s your brand, that’s your whole celebrity vibe, that’s your business. Besides that, Kelly Brianne just has a completely different energy than “Kelly Clarkson.” Kelly Brianne is the mean sorority girl. Kelly Clarkson likes to brunch with her girlfriends. Kelly Brianne wants to speak to the manager. Kelly Clarkson tips 33%. Kelly Brianne went to Bible school and votes straight Republican. Kelly Clarkson was so excited to meet Barack Obama.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
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- LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – APRIL 27: Singer Kelly Clarkson wearing a Christian Siriano dress arrives at the World Premiere Of STX Films’ ‘UglyDolls’ held at Regal Cinemas L.A. Live on April 27, 2019 in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency),Image: 520460103, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency / Xavier Collin / Avalon
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- Singer Kelly Clarkson wearing an Alessandra Rich dress, Salvatore Ferragamo shoes, and Konplott earrings arrives at the 25th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards held at the Barker Hangar on January 12, 2020 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 562955126, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289 – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Xavier Collin / Avalon
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- Singer Kelly Clarkson arrives at the 2020 Hollywood Beauty Awards held at the Taglyan Complex on February 6, 2020 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 563334551, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289 – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Xavier Collin / Avalon
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- New York, NY – Kelly Clarkson takes it to the streets of Manhattan while filming her next project in NYC. Pictured: Kelly Clarkson BACKGRID USA 24 AUGUST 2021 BYLINE MUST READ: T.JACKSON / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Kelly Clarkson takes it to the streets of Manhattan while filming her next project in NYC. Pictured: Kelly Clarkson BACKGRID USA 24 AUGUST 2021 BYLINE MUST READ: T.JACKSON / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
It says it would be her first and middle name, not last name, so I am confused.
I think she’s taking her current middle name as her last name? I think?
It uses future tense, though. So odd!
“The songstress reportedly has a “desire” to go by Kelly Brianne — which would be her first and middle names.”
She’s trying to do the same thing Angelina Jolie did – drop her maiden last name and use her middle name instead. Angelina J. Voight became Angelina Jolie, and Kelly B. Clarkson becomes Kelly Brianne. Except it doesn’t have the same effect – Angelina Jolie just sounds great, but Kelly Brianne just doesn’t have the same smoothness. She can call herself anything she wants, but in my mind she’ll always be Kelly Clarkson to me.
This makes no sense, Clarkson is her maiden name. It’s how fans think of her and sounds like an alliteration so it actually sounds better than her chosen name.
Kelly needs to give herself a new look and get her hair done like everyone else.
Which Celebitches know Cheryl Tweedy? She is a UK pop singer who dispite having her own name recognition and following always changed her name every time she got married. I found it so silly!
Cheryl was taking on the surnames of her husbands though. I don’t think Kelly ever did that. She was Kelly Clarkson, got married and stayed Kelly Clarkson, and is now getting divorced and changing her name to Kelly Brianne. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me and only seems to be related to her divorce in that she seems to want a change.
This makes…no sense? What does her divorce have to do with her wanting to ditch her maiden name? Seems like an awful idea. “Kelly Brianne” makes her sound like a teen idol, not a grown woman.
I don’t think she has a great relationship with her dad. I can see her point with the name change.
You would think she would have it years ago not after she getting a divorce.
@ court, I feel like she must REALLY hate it to change her name after being “Kelly Clarkson” for so many years in the business. But maybe she also feels established enough that she could push through the transition period.
I think you hit the nail here.
she’s grown a lot, is shedding a lot, has been through a lot, with her hubs, with her father. I didn’t take my husband’s name when we married and my branding (lowly that it is) is my maiden name (business, websites etc), and I had rough upbringing. finally after a period of incredible family nonsense at age 40 I was finally ready to change my last name. officially on documents I share my husband and child’s last name. but I picked a rather arbitrary new last name for branding purposes only that are public facing.
*it should be noted that my mid life name change is also because I have a brother in politics who is an alt-right white supremacist.
Wait. Her sons name is Remington Blackstock? Wow that’s hostile. Sounds like a gun manufacturer. Change his name, Kelly! Not yours.
I could understand if she had taken the ex husband’s last name, but I don’t get this and will still call her Kelly Clarkson.
Yeah, much like Kanye may legally be “Ye” now but 95% of the time we’re all still calling him Kanye.
I completely understand the impulse to shed an old version of yourself after a divorce. I also think she has a difficult relationship with her father so Clarkson may hold bad energy for her.
Could she mean she’s only changing her name in her personal life? If it were a change for her career, she wouldn’t need to make a legal change. Celebrities often use different names like this when Jen and Brad were married, she changed her legal name to Jennifer Pitt but still went by Aniston professionally.
Yeah I can’t see the name of her show changing lol legally Jennifer Anniston changed her name to Jennifer Pitt but professionally never changed.
I think if you’re changing your name back from your married name which is a hassle I hear, might as well be like I’ve never had a close relationship with my money grubbing Dad I don’t want his name either. Let’s change it. I can’t blame Kelly for that
She is famous as Kelly Clarkson, and that’s how she made it. Also, it’s her name, not her ex’s. She even had a very funny iconic shout out in “40 yo virgin” as Clarkson. It seems a bit strange but she must have her reasons. I’m sure her management must be thrilled.
That scene was the first thing I thought of. Steve Carrell shouting “KELLY BRIANNE” just seems wrong. But yes, her name her choice.
She doesn’t have a great relationship with her father, so she may not want his name either. One of the 10,000 bad things about using a patriarchal naming system.
That’s what I was thinking. Clarkson is her father’s name and she wants to get rid of it.
Re: Patriarchal names. Fun fact. I inherited the name of the matriarch in my father’s family. Because my grandfather never knew who his father was. We’ve recently figured out who he was. And let’s just say I’m glad I don’t have his name.
My first thought was: I get it. She’s probably doing some inner work coming out of her divorce and wanting to move on from negative relationships. If her marriage was bad, and her relationship with her father was also bad, this seems like a way to cut ties with that. Maybe the idea of going back to “Clarkson” brings up a lot of bad stuff. I think she could just change the show’s name to “The Kelly Show” and everyone would figure it out
I think people should be called by whatever name they like. She’s made enough money that it won’t matter much anyway.
Right? We’ll adjust to Kelly Brianne like we adjusted to Puffy and Caitlin Jenner and everyone we know who takes their spouse’s last name or hyphenate both last names. Let’s be supportive if she’s making this name change, Kelly has her reasons.
Oh good point that may work but I’d be surprised if that actually happens although she is a producer so maybe?
Some people may not understand it at all, but carrying the name of an abusive parent every time you introduce or are introduced, is extremely painful.
After years of coming to terms with decades of horrific family abuse, and finding my way toward healing, I changed my legal name two years ago, well into adulthood. My birth name made me terrified every time I heard it.
Changing my name was the best decision I could have made for myself. Some people say I’m “pretending” or it’s a “persona” or that I’m being ridiculous or weird or the name doesn’t fit who they know me to be, but it’s my name and who else but the person who carries the name their entire life, should have a final say in what that name is? If Kelly sees herself as Kelly Brianne, then who are we to tell her who she is?
The name you carry can invoke a heritage of family and joy, but for some, a name conjures deep pain, trauma, and suffering. I can’t speak for Kelly Brianne, but if her father’s name conjured pain, imagine hearing your abusive parent’s name every time you earned recognition, were introduced, or introduced yourself. As a celebrity, her picking some random last name would have been way more criticized than this move.
Kudos to Kelly for taking ownership of herself. And to those who are critical of this move, please try to understand the pain that a name can carry for those who have had painful relationships with those who gave them the name.
Seems to me from one of her songs she had an absent/deadbeat father. He’s presumably the source of the name Clarkson, so I wonder if this is an effort to distance herself from him.
You know what? It’s her name to change if she wants to. Whatever her name is, I’ll still listen to her powerhouse songs and great voice. Kelly Brianne it is. Remember when Prince changed his name to a symbol and then changed it back? It’s anyone’s prerogative to do whatever they want with their names.
I wonder if she’s shaking off all the awful men in her life at once. Crappy dad and crappy ex husband. No more Clarkson or Blackstock. I kind of get it. Even though Kelly Brianne is terrible and should not be her professional name at all.
That’s what I thought too, she just wants her own name and that’s it.
I wonder if this has anything to do with the Blackstocks (her ex and his dad) having any rights to collecting a percentage of anything branded as “Kelly Clarkson.”
Also a good possibility.
I get it. That marriage must have been terrible and to have to continue to deal with that leach. Ugh . I think it’s a dumb idea bc honestly she is Kelly Clarkson and she’s amazing. Her ex is not someone whose name I will remember or even utter so she doesn’t need to do it. Give her time to get over the stuff he did to her