Prince can usually get away with anything in the music business, but allegedly poaching an artist from a label is not one of them. The legendary singer is being sued for allegedly working with former The Voice contestant Judith Hill on her first album, even though she had a deal with Sony and producer Jolene Cherry.
Sony and Cherry, who is credited with discovering Lady Gaga, got interested in Hill after her appearance on The Voice in 2013. So, they signed her to an exclusive deal.
But a few months ago, Sony and Cherry heard that she was starting to work with The Purple One on new recordings, notes TMZ. At the time, they warned her that there could be repercussions, but she and Prince went ahead with the recording.
Hill and Prince released the album, titled Back in Time, on her Soundcloud page, allowing listeners to hear it for free.
According to the lawsuit, obtained by Entertainment Weekly, Hill did ask Sony and Cherry if Prince could work on her first album, but they were too far into the making of that record for the collaboration to work out.
Cherry is seeking damages for the loss in profits, plus punitive damages “to hold Prince accountable for tortuously interfering in its agreement with Hill and recover damages stemming from the fact that he deliberately interfered with its relationship with Hill and made it economically unfeasible for them to ever release Hill’s first album.”
Hill’s lawyer, Peter Haviland, told EW that the suit is a “publicity stunt.” He said that Hill actually sued Cherry first on March 25 in New York to keep Cherry from “continuing to bother her.”
“It is a shame that Prince has been dragged into this insanity, but Judith Hill will not be deterred from performing her music by the likes of some Jolene Cherry,” Haviland said.
image courtesy of INFphoto.com