Updated

When Reba McEntire and ex-husband Narvel Blackstock split last fall after 26 years together, they weren’t just throwing a wrench in their personal relationship, but their professional one as well.

Blackstock had served as McEntire’s manager since before they were married, and they planned to keep the roles intact after the breakup. Unfortunately, according to McEntire, she had to take over the role herself.

McEntire announced in March that Blackstock was no longer her manager, stating, “I thought it was a good time now to break free from management.” But now she’s provided a bit more detail on the circumstances around that decision.

“I was pretty much forced to do it,” she tells the Contributor. “It wasn’t my choice to take over my career as manager. I didn’t see it coming, but you know, that’s life.”

McEntire has taken all the complicated events in stride, never directly calling out Blackstock for anything negative, but she has said that the divorce was also not the way she’d wanted to move forward.

“The divorce was not my idea,” she admitted. “I didn’t want it in any shape, form or fashion.”

Further proving she always remains a class act, McEntire elaborated with the Contributor on how she’s been navigating this new season.

“I’m adaptable; that’s a very important word. I’m a person who likes change, accepts it and knows it’s part of living. But I also believe change brings and encourages growth. Even mistakes you learn from — and it helps take you to the places you need to go or be.”

McEntire recently announced another extension of her residency in Las Vegas with Brooks & Dunn, which will run into 2017.