Kelly Clarkson remains one of the busiest figures in show business, with her thriving music career via her new self-owned record label, her NBC talk show, plus being a single mom.
The 43-year-old inaugural American Idol shares two kids with her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, son Remington "Remy" Alexander, nine, and daughter River Rose, 10.
Her kids have been by her side from The Kelly Clarkson Show's initial days in Los Angeles, their move to a ranch in Montana, and now New York City, although the singer is trying to find time to "adult" by herself.
© InstagramMaking an appearance on the Fourth Hour of TODAY, aka TODAY with Jenna & Friends, Kelly spoke about hitting the road once again this summer for her upcoming Las Vegas residency, her new single, "Where Have You Been," and how she's juggling it all with mom life.
"I am just trying to be there as much for them, and we're a cute little unit," she told fellow mom Jenna Bush Hager and her new co-host Matt Rogers, saying she's "trying to focus right now" on balancing it all.
She admitted, though, that she's hoping to carve out more space for her own interests and work. "I am trying to adult more," Kelly confessed. "So for Mother's Day weekend I do have a couple shows, but my kids aren't coming. So I do get to be an adult with my band having drinks and having adult time."
© Getty ImagesThe "Because of You" singer joked that her kids' schedule was even busier than her own, though, with Jenna even pointing out how surprised she was by the number of hobbies and activities Remy and River had picked up.
"I'm running from my show to baseball practice and I'm trying to just be there. It's a lot!" Kelly shared. "My mom will tell me, 'Look, I was a single mom. I didn't get to make everything. They're gonna be fine. You turned out fine.'"
Elsewhere, she also gushed about getting to wear a fully sequined figure-hugging gold catsuit in the music video for her new song, which Matt deemed her "sexiest" video to date, to her immense delight.
© Getty Images"I think mama was feeling herself, and you should!" he said, and Kelly responded: "Look, I lost some weight, and I was like, 'You put me in something fitting!' 'Cause I don't know how long this will last!"
She got a bit more candid as she addressed some of the "cruel" comments she'd received over the years from those around her, particularly concerning her looks and her style, recalling how she'd get notes from people telling her not to lean into her sexier side because it'd be "too slutty."
© YouTube"I've had people be very cruel," Kelly said. "I've never been able to be just…what I want for that moment, for that song, what that character calls for."
Deeming the song itself one of her sultriest, she continued: "This was a very sexy moment, it's a song about that intimate moment where you finally go 'Wow!' I just found the unicorn situation, and I did not know that was on the bingo card for my life. And I wanted the sexiness for that." Learn more about her style transformation below...
