The legal battle between singer Kelly Clarkson and her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, continues to unfold as Blackstock strikes back at Clarkson's recent lawsuit over a $2.6 million ruling. According to court documents obtained by People, Blackstock and his management company, Starstruck Management, have denied the allegations made by Clarkson and are requesting the dismissal of her lawsuit.
In November 2023, a California labor commissioner ruled that Blackstock owed Clarkson $2,641,374 in commissions for securing various opportunities for the singer, including her role as a coach on "The Voice," hosting the Billboard Music Awards, and brand deals with companies like Norwegian Cruise Line and Wayfair. However, managers are typically not permitted to secure new jobs for their clients, as that is the role of talent agents.
Nearly four months after the labor commissioner's ruling, Clarkson filed a separate lawsuit, arguing that Starstruck violated state labor rules by acting as unlicensed talent agents who booked business deals during her time with the company. The singer sought to recover "any and all commissions, fees, profits, advances, producing fees or other monies" she paid to Starstruck, which is owned by Blackstock's father, Narvel Blackstock.
In response to Clarkson's lawsuit, Blackstock's legal team argues that the case should be dismissed because the labor commissioner's ruling in November 2023 "is binding on Clarkson." They claim that because the singer did not "file a notice of appeal within 10 days" from when the decision was made, it is outside of the proper jurisdiction to file a separate lawsuit now.
Blackstock's attorneys further contend that "[Clarkson's] complaint fails to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action against Starstruck, and is, therefore, barred for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted."
Brandon Blackstock's attorney, Bryan Freedman, released a statement to Rolling Stone, saying, "It is morally, ethically and legally wrong to attempt to get monies back from your ex-husband who not only helped her as her manager but who used those earnings on their children and Kelly and Brandon's lifestyle during the marriage."
Clarkson and Blackstock's legal showdown comes after their highly publicized divorce, which was finalized in March 2022 after seven years of marriage. The couple shares two children, River Rose, 9, and Remington, 7, while Blackstock also has two older children from a previous relationship.
In a March 2023 appearance on the "Angie Martinez IRL" podcast, Clarkson reflected on the challenges of going through a public divorce, stating, "I think the thing about divorce - especially having it publicized, and people thinking they know the whole thing - the hardest part of that is, like, it wasn't an overnight decision. Anyone that's been divorced [knows]. That was years in trying to make - not make it work, cause I never wanted to be part of something to make it work. I wanted to make it beautiful. I wanted to make it awesome. I wanted to make it everything it possibly could be, and sometimes that just doesn't happen."
