Kelly Clarkson is worth $50 Million
Kelly Clarkson’s killer voice has won over the world. She broke onto the scene as the first “American Idol” winner, and seized the opportunity to catapult her career. But her path to fame went beyond hit records and jam-packed concerts. She went from being a small-town girl with huge dreams and mind-blowing talents to racking up a seriously impressive stack of cash.
Thanks to her powerhouse vocals and irresistible charm, Kelly’s strutted her way right through the cutthroat showbiz industry. And along the way, she has amassed a sizable pile of dough. As of 2023, our OG American pop star is sitting on a cool $50 million. Is it all down to her voice? No. While her smart business sense, her undeniably high earning power, and her knack for managing finances like a boss all played a part, Kelly possesses something that is hers and her alone. She has a charm that attracts not only people to her but also a considerable amount of coin.
| Name | Kelly Brianne Clarkson |
| Profession | Singer, Songwriter, Television Personality |
| Net Worth | $50 million |
| Birthplace | Fort Worth, Texas, USA |
| Birthday | April 24, 1982 (Taurus) |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 5’3″ (157 cm) |
| Relationship status | Divorced |
A Texan Heads West To Be An Idol: Kelly’s early career and breakthrough
Ever heard of Burleson? It’s a little suburb near Fort Worth, Texas, and it happens to be where pop sensation Kelly Clarkson comes from! It was there that she found her calling, performing as part of her school choir. After she graduated, she turned her sights west to Hollywood and moved to Los Angeles to pursue her dream in showbiz. Things, however, didn’t quite go her way, and she returned with her head hung low to Texas.
Then, in 2002, her life got flipped when she auditioned for a brand-new reality show, “American Idol” on Fox. The show was a phenomenon, and a dream come true for hidden talents like her, giving the audience the power to make or break stars. With her rock star voice, charismatic persona, and killer sense of humor, Kelly swept viewers off their feet and won the show and the grand prize—a whopping $1 million and a record deal with RCA.
A Breakaway Success Is Thankful: Kelly’s revenues from her primary career
For Kelly, this was just the start. Barely two weeks after her “American Idol” victory, she dropped her first single, “A Moment like This”. It zoomed straight to the top of the charts. Her debut album Thankful followed in 2003. Ever the versatile artist, she decided not to box herself into one genre and stepped her game up with her second album Breakaway in 2004. This album was a bold shift, discarding the pop sound of her previous record and in its place, a heavier, rockier tinge.
Breakaway became a phenomenal success, selling over 11 million copies globally. It came loaded with chart-toppers like “Because of You”, “Behind These Hazel Eyes”, and “Since U Been Gone”. It not only smashed records commercially but was a hit among critics too, helping Kelly pocket a Grammy for the Best Pop Vocal Album. The massive single “Since U Been Gone” won a Grammy for the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. This shot to fame marked the start of what would be an epic journey for this multi-talented diva.
Concerts followed. Over time, she’s cashed in an impressive $60.5 million from tour sales. Her “Meaning of Life” tour in 2019 was a total sellout and made a mind-blowing $17.5 million selling 275,000 tickets. Then there was her “Addicted” tour, which raked in $1.385 million in just two evenings in Long Island. The tour collectively earned her $9.1 million—just short of what the $9.7 million she earned from her “Breakaway” tour.
What’s even more awesome is she’s not just about the music. Kelly returned to the small screen, where she got her big break, to serve as a coach on another talent show, “The Voice”. According to Cosmopolitan, she made around $560,000 an episode, amounting to a whopping $14 million a season.
Kelly liked being back on TV so much, she got her own daytime talk show. A combination of celebrity chats, interviews with ‘real world’ people, and lot of music, “The Kelly Clarkson Show” premiered on Sept. 9, 2019. It has since earned 13 Daytime Emmys while Kelly won Emmys for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host in 2020, 2021, and 2022. It also made viral hits of her “Kellyoke” segments, in which she performs covers of songs requested by her audience. If you haven’t checked them out, head over to YouTube now and say goodbye to the next couple of hours of your day.
Heading For Home: Kelly’s other revenue streams
Kelly wears a lot of hats. Like, a LOT. She releases records, she tours, she coaches on talent shows, AND she endorses.
This woman’s a magnet for big brands, from Amazon to Citizen, Proactiv to NASCAR, Wayfair and heaps more. One of her most notable partnerships? That would be Wayfair. In 2020, she bagged the title of their first-ever brand ambassador. Speaking of furniture, Kelly has designed her own furniture and decor line, Kelly Clarkson Home. Now, her love for interior design is also earning her a tasty paycheck.
On The Ranch: Kelly’s notable possessions and philanthropy
With all of her endeavors, Kelly Clarkson has unsurprisingly soared up the rich list. Along for the ride are a bunch of cool things she’s snagged over the years, including lush real estate and a gang of swanky cars.
She kicked off 2021 by getting herself a five-bedroom place in Toluca Lake for $5.4 million. It’s the perfect spot for her to kick back with her kids. She expanded her property game even further with the purchase of a $17-million Montana ranch. It’s been the perfect hideaway for her and her family during COVID.
Also, did you know that Kelly and her ex Brandon Blackstock had a pretty sweet setup in Encino? They built their own farmhouse back in 2018. Plus, you’ve got to hear about their Tennessee lake house that they snagged in 2007—four acres of land, a massive welcoming foyer and a giant swimming pool. Post-divorce, though, they’ve sold both spots.
Now, let’s talk wheels. Kelly’s got some smooth rides, including a Lincoln Navigator, Range Rover SV Autobiography, Mercedes Viano, and a Chevy Camaro SS.
But it’s not all luxury cribs and hot cars, Kelly’s also got a generous heart. Back in 2020, Kelly teamed up with P!nk to auction off a super unique piece of soundwave artwork from her song “Broken & Beautiful”. The collab pulled in $50K, all of which went to No Kid Hungry. Recently, she’s been showering some love on local charities during the “Good Neighbor of The Year” segment on “The Kelly Clarkson Show”.
Taking Stock: Kelly’s personal life
Kelly Clarkson made her grand entrance into the world on April 24, 1982, thanks to parents Jeanne Ann Taylor, an English teacher, and Stephen Michael Clarkson, an engineer. She grew up in the suburb of Burleson, Texas. Life took a sudden turn when her parents broke up when she was still a little kid, followed by them getting hitched to other people. Mama Jeanne played both parent roles in Kelly’s life, as her connection with her dad was always a bit rocky.
For Kelly, growing up meant healing old wounds with her siblings, who had grown up scattered around the country. In between her glamorous music life, she even tried to mend bridges with her estranged dad, but alas, it didn’t quite pan out.
The whole love saga for Kelly has had its fair share of ups and downs, too. She met Brandon Blackstock during the Academy of Country Music Awards rehearsal back in May 2006. Brandon’s dad, for those out of the loop, is Narvel Blackstock and his stepmom is none other than country music legend Reba McEntire. The couple got engaged in December 2012 and tied the knot the next October.
Next, they welcomed two absolute cuties into the world: a daughter, River Rose, and a son, Remington Alexander. River, who made her debut on June 12, 2014, in Nashville, hit headlines early. She even inspired Kelly’s 2016 children’s book, River Rose and the Magical Lullaby. As for Remington, born on April 12, 2016, he had to tackle some hearing and speech delays in his early years4.
By June 2020, all was not well in the Blackstock/Clarkson household. Kelly filed for divorce from Brandon, citing irreconcilable differences. The paperwork was signed, sealed, delivered in March 2022.
Divorce & Discontent: Major events in Kelly’s life
Kelly’s divorce from Brandon Blackstock proved to be a pricey one. They split in June 2020 and eventually signed on the dotted line in March 2022. She was then ordered by the court to cut a check to the ex for $115K every month until 2024, plus forking out another almost $46K for child support. And then there’s that generous million bucks as a one-hit payment.
In August 2021, KC’s problems just spiralled. Blackstock, who was her ex and manager, tried hitting her with a lawsuit claiming she owed a whopping $1.4 millions in back commissions under his firm, Starstruck Entertainment. But her legal team fought the suit, stating the company didn’t even have a talent agency license and was in no position to ask for money.
Then, in 2023, a tell-all piece in Rolling Stone dropped some massive allegations. Former, disgruntled employees at “The Kelly Clarkson Show” came forward with complaints of wages and cited being overworked on the show as the cause of their major anxiety issues. Kelly has yet to address the allegations publicly.
