One of Garth Brooks’ Biggest Hits Helped Kelly Clarkson Navigate the Pain of Her Divorce

One of Garth Brooks‘ biggest and most recognizable hits helped Kelly Clarkson navigate the pain of her divorce and even inspired a new song on her upcoming album.

When Clarkson sat down with Brooks for an episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, she opened up to the country icon about how his song “The Dance” brought her to tears in the midst of her divorce.

The mother of two explained how she’d been given books to help her through her split with Brandon Blackstock, but shared how it was “The Dance” that brought her to an important realization.

“I couldn’t quite nail down like the feeling. ‘I was like, well, you don’t want to crap on it. You don’t want to say that didn’t count or matter, but you don’t know what to put in it ’cause it didn’t work out how you wanted,” she explained of her marriage.

Clarkson went on to share that the moment “The Dance” came on her playlist, she realized “that’s the thing” that she was feeling.

“I literally, it’s not like your song, like a rip-off, but I literally wrote this whole thing therapeutically for me, and it’s actually on my next album,” Clarkson told Brooks. “It’s the whole kind of come around…the little tag part is, ‘even though my heart is broken it was worth the dance anyway.’”

The three-time Grammy winner admits she was taken back by the effect “The Dance” had on her after listening to it for all these years.

“That’s so crazy, you don’t know that’s going to happen and you’ve known this song your entire life and you freak out when it actually is a direct impact.”

“That’s a great song right there,” Brooks told Clarkson. “That’s the character of a great song.”

Kelly Clarkson filed for divorce from Brandon Blackstock in June of 2021. They were married for seven years.

Kelly Performs ‘The Dance’

In the summer of 2021, Clarkson honored Brooks with a stunning performance of “The Dance” during the 43rd Kennedy Center Honors. 

Brooks was nearly brought to tears during Clarkson’s goosebumps-inducing performance. Clarkson received a standing ovation and earned praise from Brooks himself. 

“Congratulations Garth, I love you,” Clarkson told Brooks before leaving the stage.