Since their divorce, Kelly Clarkson and ex-husband Brandon Blackstock have remained estranged, engaging in a messy legal battle with their kids caught in between.
Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock’s divorce was no victory dance for anyone involved. For the kids, they lost the comfort of a complete family as they knew it.
On Clarkson’s part, she suffered a great loss having to part with a substantial part of her money in divorce settlement while Blackstock dealt with the loss of primary access to his two children with the songstress.
Overall, the once-happy and united family hit a rough patch that seemed almost impossible to recover from. But how did they get there?
When Did Kelly Clarkson Get A Divorce?
Kelly Clarkson filed for divorce from Brandon Blackstock in June 2020, citing irreconcilable differences. The news of their split shocked the world, as until then, many perceived the duo as the perfect couple.
Sadly, the reality was far from it as sources would later confirm. Following their divorce, the exes became estranged, battling over everything, from the legal custody of their two children to divorce settlement and even attorneys fees.
After their months-long legal battles, the court finalized the divorce in August 2021, declaring them legally single.
Why Did Kelly Clarkson And Blackstock Divorce?
Clarkson and her former music manager kicked off their relationship in 2011, becoming engaged a year later. The duo eventually tied the knot in September 2013, just nine months after the proposal and enjoyed marital bliss thereafter.
For years, their relationship remained the cynosure of all eyes, even as they expanded their family. They welcomed daughter River Rose in 2014, while their son Remington Alexander arrived in April 2016.
Sadly, it seemed the coronavirus pandemic took a toll on the couple, like most celebrity relationships which did not survive the pandemic.
Although Kelly Clarkson cited Irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split, insiders claim there was more to it. A source revealed that contrary to the widely-held belief about the couple, Clarkson and Blackstock clashed on “so many levels.”
Going further, the source disclosed that quarantining together heightened their problems to a point of no return. The insider added:
“Everyone thought Kelly and Brandon had the perfect marriage, but they definitely didn’t. Brandon’s very laid-back, whereas Kelly’s pretty high-strung.”
Despite their differences which supposedly plagued their relationship for years, the two insist they never saw the divorce coming.
The Post-Divorce Drama
Notably, Kelly Clarkson and her former husband have spent most of their divorce phase at each other’s throats, battling it out in court.
Following their divorce, Kelly requested primary physical custody of their two children, aged 8 and 6 respectively. She got her wish, in November 2020.
Meanwhile, Brandon Blackstock also recorded a victory of his own. The talent manager, who has two other children Samantha and Seth from a previous relationship reportedly sought $436,000 in monthly spousal and child support from Clarkson. Additionally, he requested $2 million in attorney’s fees.
While his terms were not completely met, the court ordered the “When U Been Gone” crooner to fork out $150,000 in monthly spousal support. Additionally, Kelly Clarkson was court-ordered to pay Blackstock monthly child support of $45,601 until their kids (River and Remington) turned 18 despite being their primary custodian.
More Lawsuits
In addition to the impending divorce settlements, the father of four, who previously served as his ex-wife’s manager under his dad’s company Starstruck Entertainment, sued his ex-wife for $1.4 million.
The company claimed the sum covered unpaid commissions which accrued over the years. In response, Clarkson’s legal team filed a countersuit against the company. She accused them of operating without an agency license, hence, going against the California Labor Code.
She demanded full compensation from the company, covering all the fees she paid them since they began collaborating. However, Narvel Blackstock, Brandon Blackstock’s dad, fired back, claiming Clarkson’s countersuit was simply an attempt to avoid paying her due commissions.
The Prenup Came Through
Kelly Clarkson recorded a major victory in the divorce proceedings in August 2021 when the judge decided to uphold their prenuptial agreement in full. The ruling allowed the songstress to keep all her assets. These include those she owned before the marriage and those she purchased and paid for during their marriage.
While Kelly Clarkson reportedly celebrated the victory on set alongside her fellow “The Voice” judges Blake Shelton and Ariana Grande, it was a big hit on Blackstock Who hoped for an equal split.
Final Settlements
Several months after Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock split, they finally reached a divorce agreement. The court signed off on the settlement in March 2022, supposedly working in favor of each party involved.
The “Stronger” crooner agreed to pay her ex-husband $115000 in spousal support per month, plus an additional $45,000 monthly child support payment.
In turn, she would maintain all her assets, including their Montana ranch where Blackstock resided post-divorce. While she is yet to put the property up for sale, Blackstock reportedly paid the TV personality rent of $2000 monthly in exchange for living there.
Per the agreement, while the parents share joint physical and legal custody of the kids, Clarkson would remain their primary custodian and hence, have them live with her in California.
Kelly Clarkson’s former husband, who opted to live in Montana, would only have the kids on the first and fifth weekends of the month but would have to journey to Los Angeles each time. Additionally, he could spend the weekend with his kids in Montana only on the third weekend of each month.
Is Kelly Clarkson Dating?
In April 2022, a source confirmed the “American Idol” alum was ready to enter the dating pool again. Of course, the experience may not be so easy as a public figure, the star was willing to make the leap, even letting friends set her up.
True to the source’s claims, friends have indeed been pivotal in Clarkson’s life while struggling to live through the hardest months of her life.
During a June 2022 episode of “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” the singer finally addressed her divorce. The episode, which featured guest appearances from The Chicks, saw the women candidly speak about their respective divorces and its toll on their respective singing careers.
She admitted how hard it was to openly write about it while navigating children. Notwithstanding, Clarkson admittedly found music therapeutic, and found the strength to move on in her friendships.
Despite having such a daunting experience in the wake of the pandemic, the “Stronger” star scaled through in one piece and is all the better for it. Now more than ever, it is clear Clarkson is ready to pick up the pieces and move on.