Kelly Clarkson‘s ex-husband has been ordered to fork over millions in fees he received during his time as her manager.
The “Stronger” singer, who filed for divorce in 2020 from ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, was sued by him in September of that same year. He and his company, Starstruck Management Group, alleged that Clarkson owed them money. Clarkson countersued, claiming she was overcharged while Blackstock managed her career. Now, the California labor commission has sided with Clarkson.
Per the agency, Blackstock indeed overcharged Kelly by millions when he represented her as her manager. The ruling specifies that Brandon violated several regulations by securing large-scale gigs such as “The Voice” and her hosting job at the Billboard Music Awards. These and other campaigns with Norwegian Cruise Line and Wayfair are only to be booked using an agent, not a manager. For this reason, the commission has ordered Blackstock to fork over $2,641,374 in commissions that he was overpaid for jobs of this magnitude.
Though Blackstock will pay his ex millions, the commission determined that he can keep his earnings from “The Kelly Clarkson Show” deal. Clarkson was forced to pay Blackstock $1.3 million in their divorce, as well as $45,000 a month in child support for their two children, whom he has joint custody of. Additionally, Clarkson is paying him $115,000 monthly, though that is scheduled to end in January 2024.
For now, Blackstock is already preparing to appeal the California labor commission’s decision.
