by Kelly Clarkson is in no hurry to be in a relationship again.
As a single mom to daughter River Rose, 9, and son Remington Alexander, 7 (whom she shares with ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, 47), Clarkson, 41, says she has more than enough already on her plate after relocating from L.A. to New York City for season 5 of her hit talk show.
“I love my kids. I have my family and friends, I have my jobs,” she allows. “It’s all these beautiful things that are working really well.”
Clarkson wrote the songs on her latest album, Chemistry, which just earned a Grammy nomination for best pop vocal album, during the unraveling of her nearly seven-year marriage to Blackstock, her former manager. (They split in 2020 and finalized their divorce in 2022 after lengthy disputes over custody and spousal support.)
“I’ve always known that love is hard,” she explains. “For me, love has always come with this elephant in the room of sadness. I’ve known love is not forever. I don’t mean that to sound depressing, but I think we put a lot of pressure on that word. Sometimes love is looking at someone and going, ‘This is not good for you. This is not good for me.’ That’s a hard thing to face. But when you do, I think you grow.”
While Clarkson is open to the idea of meeting someone, she doesn’t see herself ever marrying again.
“No. I never wanted to get married the first time,” she says. “[Brandon] had children, a religious background, and it was important, I think, for him. But I’ve never been that person. Because I’ve been through a couple divorces in my family, I just don’t like to put any weight on it. It can happen; it doesn’t have to happen. For my kids, I definitely would never even think about it until they’re out of my house.”
And don’t get her started on dating.
“Dating sucks. It’s so awkward,” she says, laughing. “I was single until I was, like, 30, and I forgot how really good at that I am. I told a friend [that a potential partner] would have to be an individual that brings their own life to the table without needing anything from me. It’s far more romantic to say, ‘I want you, but I don’t need anything.’ I’m really good right now, I’m having a good time.”
The Kelly Clarkson Show airs weekdays. Check local listings for station and time.
For more of Clarkson’s exclusive interview, pick up this week’s issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere Friday.
