Kelly Clarkson has officially changed her name and she will now legally go by her first and middle name, eliminating her last name.
Kelly is now legally known as Kelly Brianne.
Here is what you need to know about the name change and what will happen to Kelly Clarkson in the future.
Kelly Clarkson changes her legal name
As we previously reported, Kelly Clarkson filed papers with the courts after she finalized her divorce.
She said at the time that the “new name more fully reflects who I am.”
TODAY reported that a Los Angeles Superior Court judge granted her petition to legally change her name from Kelly Brianne Clarkson to Kelly Brianne.
“I just got divorced, so I had to drop my married last name,” Kelly said. “I just kept my middle name for my personal life.”
What this means for Kelly Clarkson
There has been some misunderstanding from fans about what this means for Kelly Clarkson.
What people might not realize is that her legal name for the past few years was Kelly Brianne Blackstock. Her legal name was not Kelly Clarkson before she got married.
This means that changing her legal name to simply Kelly Brianne does nothing for her stage name Kelly Clarkson.
She said as much while talking to PEOPLE.
“I’m still Kelly Clarkson,” she said, emphasizing that it would be impossible to use any other name for her professional career.
“I don’t think I can change Clarkson at this point. I’m 20 years in!” Kelly said.
Kelly Clarkson in a ‘good place’ after divorce
With the divorce settlement finalized and her name changed, Kelly is reportedly in a “good place” and is ready to move forward in her life.
A source close to Kelly said she was “doing great and facing forward.” While they also said she never “expected the divorce to be so dramatic,” she is now ready to move on with her life.
This includes her television career, as she just picked up a second hosting gig as she is working on American Song Contest with Snoop Dogg, which is in its first season on NBC.
Kelly is also expected to return to The Voice, which will be starting its 22nd season later this year.
While Kelly is coming back, there have been rumors that Ariana Grande will be finished after just one season and Jennifer Lopez could join the show as her replacement.
The Voice is on hiatus. The singing reality competition series should return to NBC in late 2022.