'I'm sick of moment of silence': Kelly Clarkson opens Billboard Music Awards with tearful demand for a 'moment of change'

The opening of the Billboard Music Awards Sunday marked another awards ceremony that followed another school shooting. But when musician Kelly Clarkson was asked to say a few words and open a moment of silence for her home state, she went in another direction.

"So sorry," she told the audience as her eyes welled up with tears. "I'm a Texas girl and my home state has had so many tragedies this past year. And once again, y'all, we're grieving for more kids that have died for absolutely no reason at all."

She explained that she was asked to do a moment of silence and urge prayers. She said that obviously she wished prayers on the families suffering in her home state.

"I'm so sick of 'moment of silence.' It's not working. Like, obviously. Sorry," she apologized again as she began to cry. "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 is happening? Because it's horrible."

She closed by saying that mothers and fathers should be able to send their children to school without fear that those kids will never return.

Watch the full opener below: