Billboard Music Awards 2018: Kelly Clarkson breaks down in emotional show opening tackling gun violence

Kelly Clarkson got emotional in the opening moments of the 2018 Billboard Music Awards.

The singer, who hosted Sunday night's ceremony, opened the show addressing the shooting at Sante Fe High School, which left 10 people dead in Clarkson's home state of Texas.

"Before we start tonight's show -- this is going to be so hard -- there's something I'd like to say about the tragedy Friday at Sante Fe High School," she started. "I'm a Texas girl and my home state has had so much heartbreak over this past year, and once again, y'all, we're grieving for a bunch of kids who have died for an absolute no reason at all."

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"Tonight they wanted me to say that, obviously we want to pray for all the victims and pray for their families, but they also wanted me to do a moment of silence," Clarkson went on. "I'm so sick of moments of silence. It's not working, like obviously."

"Why don't we not do a moment of silence? Why don't we do a moment of action? Why don't we do a moment of change? Why don't we change what's happening? Because it's horrible!"

Throughout the two-minute moment, the "The Voice" coach's voice frequently cracked as tears streamed down her face and the star-studded crowd cheered her on, supporting her message.

"Mommas and daddies should be able to send their kids to school, to church, to movie theaters, to clubs -- you should be able to live your life without that kind of fear, so we need to do better," she went on. "We are failing our children, we're failing our communities, we're failing their families. I have four children and I cannot imagine getting that phone call or knock on the door."

"So, instead of a moment of silence, I want to respect them and honor them," she finished. "Tonight, y'all, [...] let's have a moment of action."

After her emotional call to action, Clarkson went on to bring the house down with a medley of some of the year's biggest hits, from Maren Morris' "My Church," Shawn Mendes' "There's Nothing Holding Me Back" and "HUMBLE" by Kendrick Lamar.

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