Kelly Clarkson has filed a second lawsuit against her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, alleging that he operated as an unlicensed talent agent.
During their marriage, Blackstock oversaw Clarkson’s professional endeavors.
Blackstock’s father, Narvel Blackstock, is the proprietor of Starstruck Entertainment, a talent agency that represented Clarkson from 2007 until 2020.
Allegedly, Starstruck received a 15% commission on Clarkson’s total earnings.
Improper Management Fees Revealed
Legal documents acquired by TMZ in the fall of 2023 revealed that Blackstock had overcharged Clarkson by millions for booking gigs while he was her manager.
The documents detailed that this misconduct occurred during negotiations for Clarkson’s participation in The Voice, Wayfair, Norwegian Cruise Line, and the Billboard Music Awards.
Only agents, not managers, are legally permitted to secure such roles for their clients. Consequently, the commissioner ruled that Blackstock overstepped his bounds as Clarkson’s manager and mandated that he repay a total of $2,641,374 to his former client and spouse.
RELATED: Kelly Clarkson’s Ex Ordered To Return Millions To Her In Improper Management Fees
New Lawsuit Allegations
Now, Clarkson is once again suing her ex-husband mere months after securing the $2.6 million judgment against him last fall.
The complaint, filed in Los Angeles on Monday (March 11), alleges that Blackstock’s management company, Starstruck Entertainment, violated California labor laws, particularly the “Talent Agencies Act.”
He is accused of operating as an “unlicensed talent agency” and arranging business deals on her behalf as far back as 2007.
The lawsuit, as obtained by Page Six, states:
“Based on the wrongful acts and conduct of Starstruck…all agreements between the parties, should be declared void and unenforceable…and all monies previously paid by cross-complainants to Starstruck should be disgorged from Starstruck, forthwith.”
Among the payments made to the company, for which Clarkson is seeking reimbursement, are “commissions, fees, profits, advances, producing fees, or other monies.”
Response To The Lawsuit
In the legal filing, Starstruck Entertainment expressed frustration, stating that they had “invested a great deal of time, money, energy, and dedication” into Clarkson’s career and claimed they made her into “a mega superstar.”
Blackstock’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, also provided a statement to Rolling Stone in response to Clarkson’s latest filing.
“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.”
Legal Battle Persists
Nearly four years after their divorce, Clarkson and Blackstock remain entangled in an ongoing legal dispute.
The former couple were married for nearly seven years before Clarkson filed for divorce in June 2020, citing “irreconcilable differences.” They began their relationship in 2012 and exchanged vows in 2013.
They have a daughter, River Rose (9), and a son, Remington Alexander (7), together.
Clarkson has since shared that she has found enjoyment in being single and feels content with the freedom it provides her.
“I am really loving not having a man in my life,” Kelly admitted. “It’s just too hard, it’s too much.”
RELATED: Kelly Clarkson Says Her Ex-Husband Believed She Wasn’t “Sexy” Enough To Be On “The Voice”
As Clarkson embraces her newfound independence and navigates through legal challenges, we wish her all the best!
Learn more about Clarkson’s life post-divorce and her newfound happiness in the PEOPLE cover story below.
