Kelly Clarkson alleged that her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, didn’t think that she had enough sex appeal to be a coach on The Voice.
Clarkson, 41, claimed that Blackstock, 47, told her that NBC executives were “looking for a more sex symbol type” to appear on The Voice after she expressed interest in coaching, according to court documents filed on Tuesday, January 2, and obtained by The New York Post.
Clarkson alleged that Blackstock, her former talent manager whom she divorced in 2020, told her that the network wanted “someone sexy” like Rihanna over Clarkson for the judging panel. Blackstock has not publicly addressed Clarkson’s claims. Us Weekly has reached out for comment.
Clarkson further alleged in her court filing that Blackstock told her that NBC wanted to “have someone that was Black” on the judging panel, claiming that the former American Idol champ was “too similar” to another coach on the series. (Blackstock allegedly compared Clarkson’s career to The Voice alum Blake Shelton, who is another one of Blackstock’s music clients.)
“Well, a wife doesn’t forget a time she gets told she’s not a sex symbol, so that stays,” Clarkson reportedly told her attorney, Ed McPherson, in the docs about how she remembered the accusations years later.
Per Clarkson, Blackstock allegedly got NBC to change their tune and hire her after he claimed that she would join rival show American Idol (on ABC) if they did not.
Clarkson joined The Voice in 2018’s season 14, which she ultimately won alongside contestant Brynn Cartelli. Clarkson has since won The Voice three more times during her coaching tenure.
In November 2023, a California labor commission ruled that Blackstock owes Clarkson more than $2.6 million in unpaid commission. According to the prior court docs, Blackstock secured Clarkson several deals, including a coaching seat on The Voice, despite that not being a job responsibility of a music manager. He reportedly collected a booking fee, which allegedly totaled more than Clarkson’s earned salary.
Clarkson married Blackstock in 2013, shortly before they welcomed daughter River Rose, now 9, and son Remington, now 7. After seven years of marriage, Us confirmed in June 2020 that Clarkson had filed for divorce. Months later, Brandon’s father, Narvel Blackstock, and his Starstruck Management Group sued Clarkson for breach of contract and alleged that she owed them $1.4 million in unpaid commissions, in addition to the $1.9 million she already paid the firm. Clarkson subsequently filed a countersuit for violations to California Labor Code.
After a messy legal back-and-forth, Clarkson and Brandon finalized their divorce two years later. Clarkson was granted primary custody of River Rose and Remington, as well as ownership of her Montana property where Brandon had been living. She also agreed to pay Brandon a one-time sum of $1.3 million and $115,000 in monthly spousal support until January.
“Kelly is feeling relieved that her spousal support to Brandon has come to an end,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month. “She’s been ready for this for a while now and is so happy her payments to Brandon will be complete. It’s so nice knowing that this chapter of her life can close with the new year.”
Clarkson and her two children have since relocated to New York City, where her The Kelly Clarkson Show is currently filming.
