Kelly Clarkson Brings Out 11-Year-Old Daughter River For Vegas Duet

Kelly Clarkson may have started the show, but it was her daughter River Rose who stole the spotlight again. During her Studio Sessions residency at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace on Friday night, July 18, Kelly, 43, surprised fans by inviting her 11-year-old daughter on stage for a sweet mother-daughter duet. The two sang Heartbeat Song, and hearts were melting all around the room.

In videos that quickly made the rounds on X (formerly known as Twitter), Kelly and River looked like a mini pop duo, both rocking black tees bedazzled with sparkly words and matching pants. Holding microphones and swaying in sync, the two shared hugs, smiles, and a whole lot of joy.

Before the performance, Kelly told the audience what led to the surprise moment: “So my daughter, River Rose, said to me, ‘I wanna sing tonight!’” 

River didn’t just join her mom on a whim; this was actually her second time singing Heartbeat Song live with Kelly. Their first duet was in August 2023 during another Vegas show, where they wore color-coordinated dresses (Kelly in black, River in white). That night, Kelly shared that River had been “jamming out to the song since she was a baby” and had begged to sing it with her. 

Kelly, who shares River and 9-year-old son Remington (aka “Remy”) with ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, isn’t shy about letting her kids be part of her career. In fact, she even poked fun at herself during her July 12 show, saying, “Y’all, I do have to say that I love that I’m probably embarrassing my kids…I hope y’all have fun. I am completely going to embarrass you with things that I say — you’re welcome, it builds character.”

The Vegas residency officially kicked off on July 11, after being delayed from its original Fourth of July launch. The singer explained the delay was due to rehearsals taking a toll on her voice. A source told PEOPLE that canceling shows was never her plan, but she made the tough call to protect her vocal cords.

“She was devastated and felt terrible for fans that had traveled to see her. She’s been very excited about the Las Vegas residency and connecting with her fans,” the source shared. 

And despite the initial delay, fans are getting their money’s worth complete with family cameos and all.