Kelly Clarkson couldn’t be prouder to see her daughter stepping into the spotlight.
During her Studio Sessions residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on July 18, the “Since U Been Gone” singer brought her daughter, River Rose, onstage for a surprise duet. In a video shared on social media, the mother-daughter duo delighted the audience with an adorable performance of “Heartbeat Song,” River’s favorite track.
Matching in style, the 11-year-old twinned with Kelly in a tucked-in t-shirt and flared jeans, and fans were quick to point out the striking resemblance between the two.
“Like mom, like daughter,” one person commented, while another joked, “Omg not River being almost as tall as her mom.”
River’s Vegas debut isn’t her only recent brush with the spotlight. Back in April, she got hands-on experience behind the scenes by stepping in as a mini producer for an episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show.
"My daughter is here today," Kelly announced during the broadcast, explaining that River was shadowing showrunner Alex Duda. "Oh my God! You have a mic and everything! You're so fancy! Oh my God. I love it. You're like a little mini producer."
The American Idol alum—who also shares 9-year-old son Remington "Remy" Alexander with ex-husband Brandon Blackstock—went on to share that River fully embraced her behind-the-scenes role: “She attended all the meetings this morning like an adult. She's very professional.”
Still, juggling a demanding career with motherhood isn’t always easy. Kelly has been candid about the challenges of staying present for her kids’ important moments, especially when school events are scheduled during her work hours.
“Why do schools have things in the middle of the f--king day?” she asked guest Kylie Kelce during the March 25 episode of her Not Gonna Lie podcast. “They’re like, ‘Oh your daughter has a performance,’ and I’m like ‘Cool, I get to be the asshole because you decided that it would be a real opportune moment at 10 a.m. on a Thursday—when we’re out here hustling.’”
Clarkson also noted the double standard she faces when it comes to parenting expectations.
“They’re like, ‘He's allowed to be somewhere, but you're not,’” she said of her kids’ comments about their dad. “That is real interesting.”
She added with a laugh: “‘Do you think I just leave and sit in the park all day?’ Mommy does work, that’s okay. Women and men work, it’s okay.”