A California labor commissioner ruled in November 2023 that Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson’s former husband and manager, owed her $2,641,374 in commissions tied to deals he procured while managing her. That was a labor ruling—not a new divorce judgment. The commission lawsuits were settled in 2024, and Blackstock died in August 2025. The settlement’s exact terms have not been established in the available reporting.
What the $2.6 million ruling was about
The California labor commissioner’s ruling concerned commissions Blackstock received for deals he procured while serving as Clarkson’s manager. Reporting that cites court documents identified her work as a coach on The Voice, hosting the Billboard Music Awards, and promotional deals with Wayfair and Norwegian Cruise Line.
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The reported total was $2,641,374, according to coverage of the 2023 ruling. ABC reported that nearly $2 million of that amount was attributed to The Voice deal. These figures are reported through coverage citing court documents; the underlying decision is not reproduced in the available reporting.
Why the commissioner ordered repayment
The reported legal issue was whether a manager who did not hold a talent-agency license could procure employment for an artist. ABC News quoted the commissioner’s ruling: “A manager, like any person without a talent agency license, cannot procure or attempt to procure employment for artists.”
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Under that reasoning, the dispute was about commissions connected to particular work and promotional deals, rather than a general division of property in the couple’s divorce. The reported award arose from the commissioner’s view that an unlicensed manager could not procure that employment.
What happened after the ruling
Blackstock’s attorney objected
After Clarkson’s later lawsuit sought repayment, Blackstock’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, told Rolling Stone that pursuing money from a former husband was “morally, ethically and legally wrong.” He argued that Blackstock had used the earnings for their children and their lifestyle during the marriage. That was the attorney’s position, not a factual finding by the commissioner.
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The commission lawsuits settled in 2024
The parties settled lawsuits over commissions in 2024. Available reporting does not establish the agreement’s exact terms, so it does not show whether the settlement paid, reduced, or otherwise resolved the specific $2,641,374 ruling. The ruling should therefore be understood as the reported 2023 decision, not as proof of what was ultimately paid under the settlement.
Blackstock died in 2025
The Associated Press reported that Blackstock died on August 7, 2025, at age 48. The available sources do not establish whether any later estate or enforcement proceedings concerned the commission ruling.
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How to read the headline today
“Owes her $2.6 million” describes the amount reported in connection with the 2023 labor commissioner’s ruling. It should not be read as a current update that a new court ordered payment, that the commission dispute remained unresolved after 2024, or that the settlement’s terms are known. Nor was this amount reported as part of a divorce settlement; it arose from a separate dispute over management commissions.
Sources: ABC News on the ruling and the deals; Rolling Stone on Blackstock’s attorney’s response; Associated Press on Blackstock’s death.
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