Back in Court: Kelly Clarkson Sues Ex-Husband Brandon Blackstock, Demands Accounting for Time as Her Manager as Battle Over Commissions Heats Up
March 13 2024, Published 10:11 a.m. ET
Kelly Clarkson filed a cross-complaint against her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock and her former management company Starstruck Management — as they continue to fight her over millions of commissions.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, Clarkson filed the case against her ex and former managers as part of their ongoing lawsuit against her.
Kelly Clarkson reportedly remembers people who were not kind to her when she was just starting out.
Clarkson and Blackstock were married from 2013 to 2020. He served as her manager for over a decade and collected commissions on projects he worked on.
Blackstock worked for his father Narvel’s company Starstruck. The singer signed to Starstruck in 1007 and agreed to pay 15% commission on her gross earnings.
After the breakup, Starstruck sued Clarkson claiming she owed $1.4 million in commissions for her work on The Kelly Clarkson Show and The Voice. The company said she stopped making payments after the issues with Blackstock.
The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Insiders noted Clarkson's ongoing legal battles with ex-husband Brandon Blackstock as an added emotional weight.
In response, Clarkson filed a petition with the California Labor Commission. The entertainer claimed her estranged husband was never licensed to serve as a talent agent and should not have been securing her gigs. She said he defrauded her by overcharging her with commissions paid.
The petition filed by Clarkson caused the lawsuit brought by Starstruck to be put on pause until the labor commission reached a determination.
The exes settled their divorce in 2022.
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In November 2023, the California Labor Commission ruled in favor of Clarkson. It determined Blackstock should not have booked gigs without a talent agent license.
He was ordered to pay Clarkson back $2.6 million she had paid in commissions — including $1.9 million for her work on The Voice, $450k on a Wayfair deal, and $208k for a gig with Norwegian Cruise Line.
Recently, Starstruck and Blackstock filed an appeal of the decision. Blackstock and the management company asked the Los Angeles Superior Court judge for a trial “de novo” – which would allow them to have another trial on the matter.
They argued the labor commission didn’t allow them to introduce all their witnesses or show certain evidence.
As we first reported, Clarkson demanded her ex-husband be forced to post a bond of $5.2 million before he can continue with his appeal. She noted that labor commissioner ruled that Blackstock would have to post bond of twice the amount of the judgment to move forward with an appeal.
In addition, Clarkson opposed the appeal and Starstruck’s lawsuit being combined into one case. She said the appeal should be heard BEFORE the lawsuit moves forward. She argued the lawsuit would be moot if her ex-husband lost his appeal.
Now, Clarkson filed a cross-complaint against Blackstock and Starstruck as part of the original LA case.
She argued the claims were barred. Her lawyers argued, “Based on the wrongful acts and conduct of Starstruck, as alleged hereinabove, including the violations of Sections 1700, et seq. of the California Labor Code, the alleged Agreement, and all agreements between the parties, should be declared void and unenforceable, no monies should be paid by Cross-Complainants to Starstruck, and all monies previously paid by Cross-Complainants to Starstruck should be disgorged from Starstruck, forthwith.”
Clarkson’s cross-complaint asked the court to determine the management agreement signed with Starstruck was void, accounting for all “monies or things of value received directly or indirectly by Starstruck in connection with any services rendered or to be rendered by Cross-Complainants as artists in the entertainment industry.
The singer also asked for an order requiring Starstruck to “disgorge and return” all monies they received pursuant to the agreement they had.
Blackstock has yet to respond.
Clarkson and Blackstock settled their bitter divorce in 2022.