Kelly Clarkson has been an inspiration to many as of late, dealing with body-shaming critics with grace and a sense of humor and taking care of her baby girl, River. It’s clear her family is a priority for her, including her husband of 18 months Brandon Blackstock, but what she told Redbook in a recent interview may surprise some fans.

“Brandon is not my other half,” Clarkson clarifies. "He's a whole and I'm a whole. I've never believed in someone taking care of me, and that's probably because I grew up poor and without a lot of family stability."

The comment — among others she has shared concerning life and self-confidence — is just another reason why many women are look at Clarkson as a role model for young women. The singer remains level-headed despite her status as a pop-country star, careful not to let comparison be a stumbling block for her.

"I don't obsess about my weight, which is probably one of the reasons why other people have such a problem with it," she explains in cover issue of the magazine. "There are just some people who are born skinny and with a great metabolism — that is not me. I wish I had a better metabolism. But someone else probably wishes they could walk into a room and make friends with everyone like I can. You always want what someone else has."

Clarkson released her seventh studio album, Piece by Piece, in March 2015, and it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Its lead-off single, "Heartbeat Song," has charted in the Top 10 on several Billboard charts. The Piece by Piece tour will begin in July 2015 in Hershey, Penn. and continue throughout North America until October.

See Kelly Clarkson and Other Stars' Yearbook Photos

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