05 October 2023 , 20:23
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Aspiring singer Emaza Gibson has filed a lawsuit against Jason Derulo claiming she was left "traumatised" after signing a deal with him and alleging sexual harassment.
Emaza was a hopeful aspiring singer looking for her big break in the music industry when the famous "Whatcha Say" singer reached out offering her a record deal. But now after months of working together, she has filed a lawsuit in the Los Angeles County Superior Court alleging "quid pro quo sexual harassment" claiming that Jason dropped her deal after she reportedly rejected his sexual advances.
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Emaza claims she was left 'traumatized' after working with Jason (Britta Pedersen/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)In the lawsuit, Emaza alledges that Jason engaged in aggressive behaviour, unwanted invitations, and implications that she would have to have sex with him to advance her career.
In an interview Wednesday with NBC News Emaza said: "I’m at this point in my life right now, it’s very heartbreaking," she continued: "I have anxiety; I’m traumatised. I’ve dealt with inhumane work situations. … I’m at this point where I’m back to zero and I have nothing.”
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The lawsuit states that Jason originally reached out to Emaza as a solo artist for a joint venture between his music imprint, Future History, and Atlantic Records. The deal would reportedly require the singer to create a mixtape within four months, an album in six months, and include a single featuring Jason as well.
Emaza told then news outlet: ''I’m like, OK, well, Jason is a great artist — big, international, powered with Atlantic — this should be a no-brainer, and I should be able to, you know, start my solo career" adding that she had always aspired to be on Atlantic Records.
She then told the news outlet that she began working with Jason to make music to present to the Atlantic executives in order to sign off on the deal. As the pair worked together Emaza claimed that Jason would often invite her to drinks and dinners at a members-only lounge. She reportedly declined his offers to keep their relationship professional. The lawsuit states Jason later asked her to drink during their studio sessions together, an offer she reportedly also turned down to "Stay aware of her vocal condition and performance."
Emaza claims Jason dropped her deal after she reportedly rejected his sexual advances (emazadilan/Instagram)
Emaza was reportedly dropped from her deal in September of 2022 (emazadilan/Instagram)According to the lawsuit, in September of 2021 Emaza agreed to have a drink with Jason in the studio which she claimed had "inappropriately large amounts of alcohol." She told NBC News: "I told him that I wasn’t a drinker … so it’s like, you know, you’re not listening to that the first time I tell you, and you’re still pushing on me," adding: "It’s, like, pressure at this point.”
Emaza also claimed in the lawsuit that Jason told her she might need to partake in "goat skin and fish scales.” Reportedly a Haitian saying with "fish scales" referring to a strain of cocaine and "goat skin" referring to rituals involving sex, goat sacrifices and blood. The lawsuit states that Gibson considered Derulo’s statement an “explicit demand for sex-in-exchange-for-success” that was reportedly reinforced by other behaviors.
In July 2022, Gibson contacted the artists and repertoire executive at Atlantic Records. The lawsuit states that the executive acknowledged Jason's behavior and told her: “The Atlantic team wants you to win, but I can’t say the same for Jason.” The singer was then dropped from Atlantic and Future History on Sept. 6, 2022, according to the lawsuit.
Emaza is alleging breach of contract and sexual harassment in her lawsuit (Action Press/REX/Shutterstock)"I’m just trying to fight for what’s right, because what was done to me was not OK,” Emaza told NBC News. “And I wouldn’t want anybody else to go through what I went through. They wasted my time. They promised me things. ... ‘Forget the contract.’ That’s what I was told. But if I wasn’t going to do, if I wasn’t doing my part according to this contract, I would be in trouble. I would be held accountable.”
Ron Zambrano, the lawyer representing Emaza, said Jason: “Not only broke promises and breached contracts, but his threats of physical harm and unconscionable sexual advances toward this young woman who is just trying to break into the industry were outrageous and illegal.”
The Mirror has approached Derulo's representatives for comment.