Kelly Clarkson Breaks Silence on Divorce, Reveals Alleged Career Sabotage by Ex-Husband
Kelly Clarkson has never shied away from speaking her truth, but her latest revelations about her tumultuous years with ex-husband and former manager Brandon Blackstock are turning the spotlight in a new direction. Beyond the headlines of a high-profile divorce lies a story of alleged professional manipulation, withheld information, and blurred boundaries between marriage and business.
Personal and Professional Turmoil
In court testimony that has recently resurfaced, Clarkson disclosed that Blackstock once told her she wasn’t “s*xy enough” to land a coaching role on The Voice. According to Clarkson, he suggested NBC was seeking someone with a more “s*x-symbol” image, even comparing her to Rihanna, and claiming she was too similar to country star Blake Shelton, already a fixture on the show.
“A wife doesn’t forget being told she’s not a s*x symbol,” Clarkson admitted, noting that the remark struck deeply, intertwining personal insult with professional implication.
The testimony was just one facet of a larger legal battle following their 2020 divorce. As her manager, Blackstock had been negotiating her contracts, including her Voice deal, raising questions about whether he had violated California’s talent agency laws.
Legal Rulings and Financial Disputes
In November 2023, a California labor commissioner ruled that Blackstock had indeed overstepped his authority and ordered him to pay back more than $2.6 million in commissions. Nearly $2 million stemmed from The Voice contract alone, with additional payments tied to deals with Wayfair, Norwegian Cruise Line, and the Billboard Music Awards. The ruling criticized Blackstock’s testimony as inconsistent, noting that his accounts shifted repeatedly. While he initially appealed, a private settlement was reached in May 2024.
Clarkson also revealed that she had been kept out of the loop about her Voice offer until Blackstock had already begun negotiations with NBC. He allegedly leveraged the rumor of an American Idol revival to secure a higher salary for her, mirroring Blake Shelton’s pay — all while Clarkson’s agency, CAA, received a reduced 5% commission on certain deals, leaving Blackstock with the difference.
The Divorce and Moving Forward
On the personal front, Clarkson filed for divorce in June 2020 after nearly seven years of marriage. The settlement, finalized in March 2022, granted her primary custody of their two children — River Rose, now 11, and Remington Alexander, 9 — along with ownership of their Montana ranch. She agreed to pay Blackstock $1.3 million in a one-time settlement, $45,601 per month in child support, and $115,000 per month in spousal support until January 2024. Once the spousal support concluded, insiders say Clarkson felt a profound sense of relief and freedom to reclaim her life.
Despite these challenges, Clarkson remained a dominant force in entertainment. She continued coaching on The Voice from Season 14 (2018) through Season 21, returning for Season 23 in 2023, and winning four times as a coach. Simultaneously, she launched The Kelly Clarkson Show in 2019, earning multiple Daytime Emmy Awards and cementing her status as one of television’s most beloved personalities.
Conclusion
Kelly Clarkson’s story is far more than a celebrity divorce — it’s a tale of reclaiming power and redefining success. She overcame personal and professional obstacles with determination, proving that resilience, talent, and integrity can triumph over manipulation and betrayal. From dominating The Voice to leading her Emmy-winning talk show, Clarkson’s journey demonstrates that true success isn’t about conforming to someone else’s image — it’s about breaking the mold and thriving on your own terms.