Just 12 days before her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock passed away, Kelly Clarkson gave an emotional performance of her song “Piece by Piece” during her Las Vegas show. A video from her July 26 performance has resurfaced on TikTok, showing Kelly getting choked up as she talked about the song and how its meaning has changed over the years.
Kelly first wrote “Piece by Piece” when her marriage to Brandon was filled with love, hope, and dreams for the future. At that time, the song was about how he had helped her believe in love again. But after their split in 2020, she changed the lyrics in 2023 to show the anger and pain she felt.
Later, after time in therapy and personal healing, Kelly decided to change the song again. This time, she made it more about strength and self-love rather than anger. In the new version, she sings:
“I’m learning every day how to love me. I let go of the shame that you taught me. Piece by piece, I restored the faith that a heart can still beat even if it breaks.”
Looking back now, her emotional performance makes even more sense. Soon after that show, Kelly paused her Vegas residency to be with Brandon as his health got worse.
Brandon Blackstock passed away at the age of 48 after a 3.5-year battle with melanoma. Kelly’s updated version of “Piece by Piece” now feels like both a message of healing and a heartfelt goodbye.
