Kelly Clarkson has filed a new lawsuit against her ex-husband and former manager Brandon Blackstock, just months after a California authority ordered him to repay the singer over $2.6 million.
The new lawsuit, filed March 11 in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that Brandon and his father Narvel Blackstock’s management company, Starstruck Entertainment, have violated labor laws since the beginning of their relationship with Clarkson in 2007.
Clarkson claims in the lawsuit that Starstruck is “not licensed as a talent agency” and argues that the company has never “obtained a talent agency license from the California Department of Labor.”
In June 2020, Clarkson filed for divorce from Brandon Blackstock after seven years of marriage. In September of that year, the Blackstocks’ company sued her, claiming she owed Starstruck unpaid commissions. The “Since U Been Gone” singer responded by filing a petition with the California Labor Commission, arguing that her ex acted illegally as her manager.
According to court documents, Clarkson’s latest counterclaim is a continuation of an ongoing dispute over “commissions, fees, profits, advances, production fees or any other money” she earned while working for the Blackstocks’ company.
TODAY.com has reached out to representatives for Clarkson, Brandon and Narvel Blackstock, and Starstruck Entertainment for comment, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
Here’s everything you need to know about the former couple’s ongoing legal battle and divorce timeline.
What is Clarkson demanding with his latest lawsuit?
The new court documents state that Starstruck acted as an “unlicensed talent agent” for Clarkson beginning in 2007, which “a violation of, among other things, the licensing requirement of Section 1700.5 of the California Labor Code.”
The complaint states that Starstruck entered into an agreement to act as Clarkson’s “personal manager” in order to “attempt to circumvent and evade the licensing requirements and other requirements, restrictions and regulations of the Talent Agencies Act.”
Clarkson’s legal team wants to declare all agreements between the singer and Starstruck “void and unenforceable” and is demanding an “account” from the company for the money it received from Clarkson.
“(Clarkson) shall not pay any money to Starstruck and any money (Clarkson) has previously paid to Starstruck must be promptly recovered from Starstruck,” the lawsuit states.
In other words, Clarkson’s legal team is demanding that Starstruck repay them all of the money they received during their collaboration with the singer, “including, but not limited to, all commissions, fees, profits, advances, production fees and any other money.”
A timeline of Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock’s legal filings
2020: Kelly Clarkson files for divorce from husband Brandon Blackstock
The legal battle between Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock began in 2020, when the singer filed for divorce after nearly seven years of marriage (they married in 2013).
During their relationship, Blackstock served as his wife’s manager and was also a producer of her talk show, “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” which is produced and distributed by NBCUniversal Syndication Studios. (NBCUniversal is the parent company of TODAY.com.)
During their marriage, the former couple had two children, a now 9-year-old daughter named River Rose and a 7-year-old son named Remington Alexander.
After announcing their divorce, Starstruck filed suit against Clarkson in September 2020. The firm claimed that the singer owed the company $1.4 million in unpaid commissions.
Clarkson then filed a petition with the California Secretary of Labor on October 20, 2020, arguing that Starstruck had acted “unlawfully.” The hearing was not scheduled until 2023, according to Clarkson’s latest lawsuit.
2022: Kelly Clarkson has to pay Brandon Blackstock millions in divorce settlement
In 2022, Clarkson and Blackstock agreed to joint custody of their children in their divorce, with Clarkson receiving primary custody.
According to court documents, the singer was required to make a one-time payment of $1,326,161 to her ex-husband.
In addition, the star was ordered to pay $115,000 a month in spousal support until January 31, 2024, and $45,601 a month in child support until the children turn 18. Clarkson also had to pay Blackstock a lump sum of $350,000 for her children’s private air travel.
As for the former couple’s joint assets, Clarkson took ownership of their two properties in Montana and their residence in California. At the time, Blackstock was ordered to pay $2,000 per month in rent for one property and $12,500 per month for the other. He was also ordered to move out of both properties no later than June 1, 2022.
2023: A judge orders Brandon Blackstock to repay over $2.6 million to Clarkson
In November 2023, the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement ordered Blackstock to repay $2,641,374 he received in commissions while serving as Clarkson’s manager.
Clarkson had accused her ex-husband of illegally obtaining and taking on work for her between 2017 and 2020 that should have been handled by her talent agents.
“Under the Talent Agencies Act (TAA), a manager – like any other person without a talent agency license – may not procure or attempt to procure employment for artists,” the California Secretary of Labor’s decision states.
Blackstock subsequently appealed the decision and requested a retrial – or new trial, according to California court rules – in Los Angeles Superior Court. The talent manager did not respond to TODAY.com’s request for comment at the time.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com.
