Kelly Clarkson turned her Friday night (July 18) performance at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace into a family affair. During her Studio Sessions residency gig, the talk show host and pop superstar invited 11-year-old daughter River Rose out to join her on stage for a very special duet.
In an Instagram post of the mommy-daughter moment, Clarkson wrote, “Last night we had a very special guest, my daughter River Rose, joined us for ‘Heartbeat Song.’ It’s her favorite song,” alongside an image of her kneeling down on stage to touch foreheads with her eldest child.
In a video posted by a fan, River Rose walks out on stage and gives her mom a big hug before Clarkson tells the crowd, “we’re gonna do her favorite song.” Snuggling up to the tween — who, like her famous mother was wearing dark wash jeans and a bedazzled T-shirt — Clarkson told River Rose she looked “super cute” before revved the band up to play the lead 2015 single from her seventh studio album, Piece by Piece.
River Rose hung in there like a champ, doubling Clarkson’s vocals and swaying along in unison as she smiled and belted out the song, even holding a big note at the end that made the singer smile proudly. Staring into each other’s eyes and touching foreheads, mother and daughter landed the plane while joyfully singing the chorus in unison. “This is my heartbeat song and I’m gonna play it/ Been so long, I forgot how to turn it/ Up, up, up, up all night long/ Up, up all night long,” they sang, bouncing in place together as the band dropped out and the two sang the chorus one more time while giving a sweet boop finger tap to each other’s foreheads.
In a testament to a life lived with a pop star mom, River Rose gave the crowd a sassy power pose after hugging Clarkson, who asked the crowd to “give it up for River Rose y’all, c’mon!” before planting a kiss on the tween’s cheek as she walked off.
Back in 2023 during her first Vegas residency run at the Bakkt Theater, Clarkson first told the crowd that “Heartbeat Song” was River’s favorite, bringing the then 9-year-old out on stage to belt the tune out. “She’s been jamming to this song since she was a baby,” Clarkson told her fans back then. In addition to River Rose, Clarkson shares son Remington “Remy” Alexander, 9, with ex Brandon Blackstock.
Clarkson will be back on stage at the Colosseum on Friday (July 25).