Kelly Clarkson Opens Up About Depression In Candid Chat With Demi Lovato

Kelly Clarkson began her interview with Demi Lovato this week by applauding her fellow pop star’s efforts to spread awareness about mental health. 

On Wednesday’s episode of “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” the host explained to Lovato that she’d dealt with “similar issues,” adding, “I suffer from depression.” 

“I think a lot of people, especially in the creative world, or just from childhood, you’ve been kind of trained to, like, just keep going and you can handle it,” she said. “Especially as a woman, it’s like, ‘Don’t let ‘em see you sweat.’”

Turns out, the admiration was mutual. 

“You were the first idol that I ever had,” Lovato told Clarkson. “I wouldn’t be the artist — or even the person that I am — with being so outspoken and vulnerable and fearless if I hadn’t had you to look up to.” 

The conversation came about two weeks after news broke that Clarkson had filed for divorce from husband Brandon Blackstock after nearly seven years of marriage. 

Since then, the “American Idol” alum has yet to address reports about her personal life. Many interpreted her chilling take on Aretha Franklin’s 1967 hit, “Chain of Fools” ― performed on the June 16 episode of her eponymous talk show ― as her comment on her marital breakup. 

Clarkson stuck mainly to platitudes on Wednesday, noting her mental health “takes work,” despite what others many assume.

“Even when you overcome something, they’re like, ‘OK, she’s already overcome it.’ I’m like, ’No, no, that’s a daily effort in trying to be positive….That’s not, like, a given. Like, you’re just over it, and you went to some magical therapy session, and it’s over,” she said. “I think that’s a daily thing that you work at, and a daily thing that I work at.”

Clarkson and Lovato also discussed the Black Lives Matter movement and the waves of protests against racial inequality sweeping the country.  

“We have a lot of time on our hands right now,” said Lovato, who has been outspoken about the movement in interviews and social media. “There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be … absorbing all the information that we possibly can about what’s going on in the world. And then, from there, we’ve seen it all over the media that being silent and being not racist is not enough anymore.”

“Like Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, Whitney Houston ― these women of color have shaped my musical journey,“ she added. “How am I supposed to appreciate what they’ve given me and not stand up for their community?”