Kelly Clarkson shared an emotional moment with music legend Lionel Richie on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" Thursday, just weeks after the passing of her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock.

During the October 2 episode, the pair opened up about grief, healing, and how loss can reveal what matters most.

Richie, 76, was on the show promoting his memoir, "Truly," which reflects on his life and the lessons he's learned.

Clarkson, 43, brought up a powerful quote from the book: "Grief is the great teacher of what matters most."

"I do think a lot of people deal with grief in such a different way," Clarkson said. "But I find that very, very true. How did you figure that out?"

Richie replied, "It's a real moment where you can't phone it in. You can't rehearse grief." He added, "You can't rehearse the loss of your mother or your father or a friend. You can't rehearse that."

Clarkson agreed, "It hits you in waves."

The Grammy winner continued, saying he tries to let go and embrace the pain. "Believe it or not, I look forward to finding out who am I going to be really, because that's the real me," he said, Diceder reported.

Then came a line that visibly moved Clarkson: "If it hurts so badly, that means you loved so deeply."

Lionel Richie Lightens Mood for Emotional Kelly Clarkson

The comment left Clarkson speechless. She responded with a bleeped-out curse, saying, "Aw, s—!"

According to People, Richie, keeping the moment light, jumped up from his chair, placed his hand on Clarkson's forehead, and joked, "Hold on, I can save you, don't worry!"

He pretended to perform a healing as Clarkson threw up her hands and laughed, "I feel healed."

The heartfelt exchange came during Clarkson's return to her talk show following the loss of Blackstock, who passed away from cancer in August.

The couple were married from 2013 to 2022 and share two children: River Rose, 11, and Remington Alexander, 9.

Clarkson previously paused her Las Vegas residency and missed several show tapings due to Blackstock's illness. In an August 6 statement, she said, "My children's father has been ill, and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them."

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Kelly Clarkson, Lionel Richie