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Kelly Clarkson Asks to Legally Restore Her Last Name Amid Brandon Blackstock Divorce

Resetting the record. Kelly Clarkson asked a judge to restore her last name amid her ongoing divorce from Brandon Blackstock, according to documents obtained by Us Weekly.

Related: Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock’s Messy Divorce: Everything We Know

In documents filed on August 5, the “Because of You” singer, 39, requested “restoration of the former name as set forth in the proposed Judgment.” Though the Voice coach still uses Clarkson professionally, she took the name Blackstock upon the couple’s marriage in 2013.

The Grammy winner filed for divorce from the music manager, 44, in June 2020, citing “irreconcilable differences,” and since then, their split has only gotten messier.

Last month, Clarkson’s lawyer filed a motion for a separate trial that would terminate the singer’s marital status while the divorce proceedings continue. In the new documents, the American Idol alum also checked the box for “Status Only Judgment,” meaning she asked the court to restore her single status back before the rest of the couple’s issues are settled and the divorce is finalized.

Last month, Us confirmed that a judge ordered the “Breakaway” songstress to pay Blackstock nearly $200,000 per month starting in April. The agreement was temporary, and a source later noted that a “final settlement” was still forthcoming.

The order included $150,000 for spousal support, plus an additional $45,601 in child support for the pair’s kids River, 7, and Remington, 5. Accountants found that Clarkson earned $1.9 million per month between January and December 2020.

Related: Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock’s Relationship Highs and Lows

Earlier this week, Us also confirmed that Blackstock is planning a major career change that involves the couple’s Montana ranch, which Clarkson had wanted to sell because it was a “financial burden.” Documents obtained on Monday, August 9, showed that the Texas native told a judge that he plans to leave the music business and become a full-time rancher.

“He testified that he is not devoting any effort toward expanding his client list and music management business,” the judge wrote in documents filed on Friday, August 6. “Respondent has made a very deliberate choice, that he testified he planned for a long time, to significantly change his lifestyle from primarily working in the music and entertainment industry to working in an agriculture community and lifestyle involved in full-time ranch and cattle work.”

The court also found that the ranch costs $81,000 per month in maintenance. If Blackstock fails to pay the costs associated with maintaining the property, then Clarkson can file another motion to sell the ranch.

Related: Kelly Clarkson Buys New $5.4 Million Home Amid Divorce: Pics

Despite all this, the Daytime Emmy winner is ready to start dating again. “She hasn’t been dating and has been waiting until she is legally divorced, which will be in the next two weeks,” a source revealed in the latest issue of Us. “She wants a younger, up-and-coming country singer [who] understands the business.”

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