Kelly Clarkson and her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock’s divorce settled earlier this year, but the legal battles continued. A labor commissioner has now ordered Blackstock to return over $2 million to Clarkson, alleging he overcharged her during his tenure as her manager.
Legal documents obtained by TMZ revealed that a California labor commissioner found Blackstock, who managed Clarkson via his family’s company, Starstruck Management Group for 13 years, unlawfully booked jobs for her and charged an excessive commission.
Under California law, only certified agents, not managers, can book gigs for their clients, except for specific exemptions. Throughout the period Blackstock managed Clarkson, she was represented by the Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Blackstock, not a certified talent agent, allegedly booked Clarkson’s roles with The Voice, Norwegian Cruise Line, the Billboard Music Awards, and Wayfair, resulting in the labor commissioner’s order for him to repay $2,641,374. Blackstock has planned to appeal the order.
The legal dispute began when Blackstock’s company sued Clarkson in 2020 for unpaid commissions linked to The Voice and The Kelly Clarkson Show. In response, Clarkson filed a petition with the California Labor Commission, asserting Blackstock had violated labor laws by demanding excessive fees, acting against her best interests, and engaging in a conflict of interest.
Responding to Clarkson’s claims, Bryan Freedman, a lawyer for Starstruck Management Group, told TMZ, “It is unfortunate that Kelly is again attempting to avoid paying commissions that are due and owing to Starstruck to try and achieve some perceived advantage in her ongoing custody and divorce proceedings.”
Clarkson and Blackstock were married in late 2013 and split in June 2020, with their divorce finalized nearly two years later. During their marriage, they had two children, a daughter named River Rose and a son named Remington Alexander.
Since the split, Clarkson has occasionally touched on her relationship with Blackstock, revealing how it influenced her recent album Chemistry.