A court has ruled that Kelly Clarkson‘s ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, owes her over $2.6 million in commissions she paid him for securing business deals during his time as her manager. California’s labor commissioner ruled back in November that he had handled several deals, including her position as a judge on The Voice, that should have been handled by her talent agents from Creative Artists Agency (CAA) instead.
Clark’s legal team had accused Blackstock of unlawfully obtaining work for her between 2017 and 2020 and that he overreached when he took work that ought to have gone to CAA. Documents indicate Blackstock was supposed to coordinate Clark’s schedule with professionals, including her agents, glam team, and publicists.
Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband Brandon Blackstock has to pay her millions
Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband Brandon Blackstock has been ordered to repay her $2.6 MILLION after overcharging her fees as her manager. pic.twitter.com/MT7obRmSaS
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) November 30, 2023
Because CAA forbids anyone other than a licensed talent manager from procuring gigs for artists, Blackstock has been found in violation of this rule. The jobs included are not just The Voice judge, but also The Kelly Clarkson Show, her work with Norwegian Cruise Line Services, Wayfair, and the Billboard Music Awards.
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Throughout it all, Blackstock earned commissions for these projects. The Voice netted him $1,983,155.70, while Wayfair earned him $450,000, Norwegian Cruise Line Services $208,125, and the Billboard Music Awards $93.30.
What happens next between Clarkson and Blackstock?
As things stand, Blackstock has been ordered to pay back his commissions from those four main projects, which amounts to $2,641,374 total. However, the commissioner did reject Clarkson’s demand that Blackstock pay back commissions earned from securing The Kelly Clarkson Show. The commissioner ruled that his involvement was “at the request of CAA,” and thus not in violation of the CAA’s rules.
Clarkson filed for separation from Blackstone back in 2020. Two years later, the couple reached a settlement, with Clarkson agreeing to pay Blackstock $45,601 in monthly child support for their two kids, as well as a one-time payment of $1.3 million.
Documents filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court show that Blackstock is appealing the decision and is reportedly requesting a trial “de novo,” according to AOL, which asks the judge to hear the case again, with each party presenting evidence and witnesses.
By time of writing, neither legal team has responded to a request for comment.
