Clarkson Fires Kwatinetz

Kelly Clarkson has parted ways with Jeff Kwatinetz, her manager and CEO of The Firm, and has also secured a new publicist, Pollstar has confirmed.

The original "American Idol" has shaken up her team just as her second album, My December, is scheduled to drop and on the heels of reported friction with Sony/BMG chief Clive Davis over the new record.

A representative of The Firm would not comment on Clarkson’s departure, instead referring calls to her New York City publicist.

"I have been so fortunate to be supported by so many talented people in all corners of the music business. Those guys at The Firm did a good job and I really appreciate everything they did," Clarkson said through Paul Freundlich of PFA Media, who confirmed the split and told Pollstar Clarkson had become a client four days earlier.

The alleged dispute with Davis, long whispered about in industry circles, got a public airing in the current edition of Elle magazine, where Kwatinetz dissed the RCA label in a rare interview.

"The label didn’t even acknowledge her ASCAP awards," Kwatinetz told Elle. "It’s upsetting. They don’t want her to be a songwriter. They just wanted her to shut up and sing. They want her to stay their little American Idol."

The magazine cited an unsourced report that Davis had offered Clarkson $10 million to "ditch" five songs from the album, which has suffered delays attributed to content disputes.