In February, Clarkson announced she would not move forward with another season of her show, which premiered in 2019. Although she expressed excitement to turn her focus toward other creative endeavors, the 44-year-old previously acknowledged the ending is bittersweet.

For example, when Rita Wilson praised the “Miss Independent” singer’s musical segments during a May 27 appearance on the show and emphasized it has made “the biggest change” in her life, it brought Clarkson to tears. 

“I’m not crying,” Clarkson muddled at the time. “That’s so nice.”

However, the American Idol winner is also ready to move on, acknowledging that she needed to refocus on family following the death of her ex-husband Blackstock from cancer last year. 

“I think everybody gets the timing,” she shared during a February appearance on Today after confirming her seventh season would be her last. “Our family life, the dynamic changed a bit, and it has changed for a minute now. I think it’s one of those things like, you kind of start seeing life as how precious it is, too.”

As she put it, “There’s just too much on the plate, so I was like you know what? It’s time to pull back.”

Her daytime talk show is just one small chapter in Clarkson’s incredible career. For a look at Clarkson over the years, keep reading…