Kelly Clarkson Cries Onstage Days Before Ex-Husband's Death, on Video

Kelly Clarkson got real emotional while belting out her reworked version of "Piece by Piece" just 12 days before her ex, Brandon Blackstock, died -- and the clip is gut-wrenching.

Check this resurfaced TikTok from Kelly’s July 26 show in Vegas -- Kelly was choking up as she intro'd the song -- saying she wrote it back when her marriage to Brandon was full of hope and dreams for the future. But now? It's had a few emotional tweaks over the years, to say the least.

Kelly revealed she’d actually changed the lyrics to the song back in '23, three years after her split from Blackstock. But after some therapy and reflection, she realized they came off a bit angry. So, she tweaked them again, making the new version feel more grown-up.

So in the updated version, she sang, "I’m learning every day how to love me. I let go of the shame that you taught me. Piece by piece, I restored the faith that a heart can still beat even if it breaks."

Of course, her emotional moment makes way more sense now -- 'cause not long after, Kelly paused her Vegas residency to be by Brandon’s side.