Kelly Clarkson & Brandon Blackstock: When the Woman Pays — $200K/Month and a Montana Ranch

What Happened

Kelly Clarkson, the original American Idol winner and host of her own daytime talk show, filed for divorce from talent manager Brandon Blackstock in June 2020, citing irreconcilable differences. What followed was a divorce that upended traditional assumptions about who pays whom. Clarkson's net worth was estimated at $45 million, while Blackstock — who had managed her career and is the son of her former manager, Narvel Blackstock — earned significantly less independently.

The financial battle was fierce. Blackstock initially requested $436,000 per month in combined spousal and child support. He also sought to retain the couple's Montana ranch, where he had relocated and was pursuing a career as a rancher. Clarkson was ordered to pay approximately $200,000 per month in temporary support during proceedings — a figure that drew significant public attention and commentary about gender equity in divorce.

The Montana ranch became a focal point. Clarkson argued it was marital property that should be sold. Blackstock argued he had built a new life there with the children and that the ranch was his primary residence. The court ultimately awarded Clarkson the ranch, finding that it was purchased with her earnings and was, under community property principles, subject to equitable division — but that her contribution was predominant.

The final settlement, reached in 2022, required Clarkson to pay Blackstock $1.3 million as a lump-sum property equalization payment, $45,601 per month in spousal support (ending January 2024), and $115,601 per month in child support. Clarkson has spoken publicly about the financial and emotional toll, noting that the experience influenced much of her music and her candidness about mental health on her talk show.

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