Kelly Clarkson’s marriage to talent manager Brandon Blackstock began with star power and ended in a public, complicated split that still makes news. After close to seven years of marriage, she petitioned for divorce on June 4, 2020, listing irreconcilable differences. They first met in 2006, started dating in 2012, got engaged that same year, and married in October 2013.
They welcomed two children - River Rose (2014) and Remington “Remy” Alexander (2016). Their divorce was finalized in March 2022, and the financial and custody terms drew intense scrutiny. The legal story didn’t stop there. A labor ruling later ordered Brandon to repay $2.64 million in improperly collected commissions, and both sides reached a confidential settlement in May 2024.
On August 7, 2025, Brandon died at 48 after a three-year battle with melanoma, renewing attention on their history and co-parenting. An unexpected line in his obituary also shifted the conversation: in his obituary, Brittney Marie Jones, Kelly Clarkson’s former production assistant, was named his “beautiful and loving partner in life and business,” while Kelly Clarkson was not mentioned.
Inside the breakup: Timeline, court fights, and aftermath
Kelly Clarkson filed for divorce in June 2020. The filing cited irreconcilable differences, the standard legal ground in California. Their divorce became official in March 2022, with ongoing co-parenting across states.
By late 2023, a California labor commissioner ruled Brandon had overstepped as a manager by procuring jobs that should have been handled by a licensed agent, ordering $2,641,374 returned to Kelly.
In May 2024, both parties dismissed the commission's case. As per Entertainment Tonight's report dated May 24, 2024, Kelly’s attorney Ed F. McPherson stated,
“The case has been settled in its entirety. It is a confidential settlement.”
The broader relationship arc still matters: they met in 2006, began dating in 2012, married in 2013, and welcomed River and Remy in 2014 and 2016, respectively. On August 7, 2025, Brandon’s death reshaped the public frame. Kelly subsequently canceled a scheduled August 17 benefit appearance, with coverage noting her focus on their children amid grief.
Reba McEntire, formerly married to Brandon’s father, publicly mourned him. As per the InStyle report dated August 14, 2025, she called him her “oldest son” and a “cowboy” in a tribute.
Why did Kelly Clarkson divorce Brandon Blackstock?
Legally, the answer is clear: Kelly Clarkson cited irreconcilable differences in June 2020. In public comments around her divorce-inspired album Chemistry, Kelly described the separation as emotionally complex. Reports have also pointed to work-life strain, with sources telling ET that overlapping roles, Brandon managing Kelly and working on her talk show, became a flashpoint.
The split then intertwined with business litigation. A November 2023 ruling required Brandon to repay millions in commissions; after back-and-forth filings, both sides settled in May 2024. Rather than one dramatic event, the record shows a standard no-fault divorce, subsequent financial disentanglement, and a parent-first posture in the aftermath.
One brief quote helps anchor the facts. As per the People report dated March 26, 2023, Kelly said of the breakup’s creative fallout,
“When my ex and I first separated, there were many emotions. It was hard,...My producer and I were laughing yesterday because I was like, 'Remember that time we wrote, like, 25 songs in a week?' A lot of those are the ones that are on the album.”
The obituary detail that changed the narrative
Brandon’s obituary, posted by a Butte, Montana, funeral home, introduced a new public fact: it named Brittney Marie Jones, who had worked for Kelly, as Brandon’s “beautiful and loving partner in life and business,” crediting them with creating Headwaters Livestock Auction and the Valley View Rodeo in Bozeman.
As per the People report dated August 13, 2025, Brittney previously served as Kelly’s production assistant and later moved to Montana in June 2020 to work with Brandon, the same month the divorce filing landed.
This obituary line mattered because it clarified the life Brandon built after the marriage and highlighted a partner with direct professional proximity to Kelly Clarkson. The memorial text itself is concise. As per Butte Funeral Home's obituary page dated August 2025:
“Brandon, along with his beautiful and loving partner in life and business, Brittney Marie Jones, started building a life, building companies, and working tirelessly to create Headwaters Livestock Auction and what will live on as his legacy, The Valley View Rodeo in Bozeman, Montana”
People also documented Brittney’s father calling Brandon his daughter’s “soulmate,” underscoring the seriousness of the relationship. As per the People report dated August 13, 2025, he wrote that he “considered him my son.”
Finally, coverage of Brandon’s passing emphasized his devotion to his four children and Kelly Clarkson’s choice to prioritize their well-being in the days around his death.
Stay tuned for more updates.
Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock attend the 2017 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 19, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Chris Polk/AMA2017/Getty Images for dcp)