Kelly Clarkson is opening up about her mental health. The Grammy-winning singer decided to move her two children, daughter River Rose, 9, and son Remington Alexander, 7, and herself over to New York City from Los Angeles. Her eponymous talk show began filming in the Big Apple prior to her fifth season. While the move was for work, she said that, in turn it helped her with her depression.

“I was very depressed for the last three years — and maybe a little before that, if I’m being honest. I think I really needed the change,” Clarkson told PEOPLE. “I needed it for me and my family as well. My kids are thriving here. We’re just doing so much better, and we needed a fresh start.”

Kelly Clarkson Enjoying NYC Culture

She’s already getting acclimated to the culture including the Rockefeller tree lighting next month.

“Being able to be there for that,” she said per Entertainment Tonight. “We’ve done all the things like that. We walk around in the park. Like, we have more of a life. This is what my goal was, for us to actually engage outside our house. And you have to in New York.”

Being in a city where the majority of the people walk and use public transportation, Clarkson enjoys the different reactions of New Yorkers compared to Los Angeles.

“All celebrities should know this. When you live here, people do recognize you, but they just say, ‘Oh, hey, what’s up?’ And then they keep walking. It’s incredible,” she said with a laugh.

“I have literally never been bothered on the subway. Maybe just like, ‘Oh, hey, I like your music,’ but then they walk off,” adds Clarkson. “That’s what I love about New Yorkers. Everybody’s got their own life. They’re like, ‘Yours is not more important than mine, so have a nice day.'”

She spoke to fellow Texan Maren Morris about the change and how there is such beautiful energy in the city.

“Before I got a cold for two weeks — thank you, kids — we were literally walking to and from work every day,” says the singer. “It’s a beautiful place. It’s a beautiful energy. I was talking to Maren Morris, and she was like, ‘How is it living here?’ Because we’re both Texas girls, and it’s just been incredible. The energy of it is very me.”

The Kelly Clarkson Show airs weekdays on NBC at 3pm EST.