A management team that claims they helped put the $ in Ke$ha is apparently asking for an immediate–and enormous–return on its inve$tment.
New York’s Daily News reports today that a suit was filed in Manhattan Supreme Court by DAS Communications, in which they define the artist born Kesha Sebert as “a very young and inexperienced artist whose ‘star’ may not continue to rise.” Court papers show that the company is seeking $14 million in damages from Sebert, and an additional $12 million from super-producer Dr. Luke, born Lukasz Gottwald.
The claim rests on their assertion that Sebert, who signed with them in 2006, inked an agreement entitling DAS to 20% of her future income, with the option to sever the business if she did not land a major-label record contract within a year. Though the next twelve months passed without a deal, DAS says she waived the deadline, and continued good relations with the company until super-producer Luke “induced, intimidated and convinced Ke$ha” to severe ties with them in September 2008.
“Although she has made an incredible amount of money in a very short period of time, in large part due to DAS’ efforts on her behalf,” the papers continue, “she could just as easily lose money if not properly guided”—a statement claiming, in essence, that Ke$ha’s future career prospects are limited, and her financial acumen, even more so.
The 23-year-old singer promptly filed a counter-suit against the company in California, contending the manager acted as an “illegal talent agent.” And her lawyer Charles Ortner told the Daily News, “This lawsuit seeks to require her to pay [DAS head David Sonenberg] commissions on her RCA/Jive record deal that he had nothing to do with, long after she terminated him in writing.”
