Christmas Crooner! Who Is Brett Eldredge? Meet the Country Singer Amid Kelly Clarkson Dating Rumors

Home sweet love! Country singer Brett Eldredge has been the subject of dating rumors with Kelly Clarkson, but what else is he known for?

Who Is Brett Eldredge?

Brett, who was born in Paris, Illinois, to mom Robin Beth and dad Christopher "Chris" Eldredge on March 23, 1986, is a country songwriter, singer and producer. He got his start in 2010 by cowriting Gary Allan’s “I Think I've Had Enough.” Brett then signed to Atlantic Records and released his first singles, “Raymond” and “It Ain’t Gotta Be Love.” He performed at the Grand Ole Opry, an impressive achievement for country stars, in October 2010.

Brett’s first No. 1 single, “Don’t Ya,” was released in 2012 and earned him two nominations at the 2013 American Country Awards. He won a Country Music Association Award in 2014 for New Artist of the Year. Brett has released seven studio albums in total, including his Christmas albums Glow (2016) and Mr. Christmas (2021). He was also featured on Kelly’s 2021 Christmas album, When Christmas Comes Around, with their hit song, “Under the Mistletoe,” which was originally released as a single in October 2020.

Are Brett Eldredge and Kelly Clarkson Dating?

Kelly and Brett’s chemistry was evident to fans when they first performed “Under the Mistletoe,” which is a song about longing to be with someone and working up courage to tell them how they really feel. At the time, Kelly was in the midst of her divorce battle with ex Brandon Blackstock. The song’s lyrics read, “Every time I look around this room / My eyes, they tend to fall on you / And I confess / Nothing but you makes sense / Memories fill my heart / And I can barely keep my tears from fallin’ / Oh, I want your love/ Do you ever think of us?”

Dating rumors have swirled ever since the song’s release, gaining even more traction in September 2023 as people speculated that Kelly and Brett might have gotten engaged. However, it’s unclear where that rumor started, and there does not appear to be any truth to it.

Brett himself shot down the dating speculation in March 2023, telling Hello! that he and the American Idol alum are only friends.

“Yeah, those [rumors] always come. It’s crazy but it’s just people I love to make music with,” he said. “I’ve been very fortunate to get to work with incredible women, and just powerful human beings and great people too, and to get to share the stage with them, it’s a dream.”

Brett also gushed about Kelly’s talent, recalling how “in awe” he was of her during the American Idol tour back in 2002. Likewise, Kelly has admitted to being a huge fan of Brett’s. In a September 2023 Instagram Live, she said she “loves” his music and would want to work with him again.

Has Brett Eldredge Ever Been Married?

Brett, who keeps his love life mostly private, has never been married or engaged. However, he was previously linked to Victoria's Secret model Rachel Hilbert.

Though Brett is seemingly single right now, he has spoken about his hopes of someday finding love.

“I think there’s a lot of wonder and romance to the idea of love at Christmas,” he said on the “People Every Day” podcast in October 2022. “I love my family and everything, [but] I don’t have the person I [will] share my life with, exactly. But I’m very open to it and I’m getting closer by the day and I’m very optimistic.”