Musician-turned-lawmaker Crystal Asige is suing Sauti Sol music band over a breach of contract.
The former signee of Sol Generation Records Limited is seeking a court order to compel Sauti Sol to compensate her for her involvement in the songs she was part of.
Asige, a visually impaired singer/songwriter/producer, wants Sauti Sol to reveal how much they earned from hit songs ‘Lenga’, ‘Extravaganza’, ‘Ukiwa Mbali’, intro and ‘Favourite’ Song from 2019 which she was involved in producing.
“While under the first defendant’s record label, the plaintiff co-composed and performed on the widely known recordings ‘Extravaganza’ and ‘Ukiwa Mbali’ together with the second to fifth defendants, and her then label mates, professionally known as Bensoul, Nviiri the Story Teller and the group Kaskazini in 2019 and her contribution was credited as such,” the affidavit reads in part.
The nominated senator is also seeking orders that they deliver all licensing information on the songs she is disgruntled about.
Asige in her suit indicated that in 2018 while living in Mombasa Sauti Sol’s Bien asked her to join Sol Generation Records in order to write and produce a song.
Asige also claims that she arranged and performed background vocals on Bensoul’s song, ‘Favourite’ in 2019 which she has not profited from.
Sauti Sol and Asige parted ways in November 2019 but the music band continued to use her work without her consent – something that prompted her suit.
“On November 7, 2019, the plaintiff was invited for a meeting with the second defendant (Bien-Aime ), Natasha Qubu (first defendant’s manager) Moriasi Omambia (first defendant’s legal manager and shareholder) and informed that the first defendant (Sol Generation) no longer wanted to continue with the plaintiff at the label, initially citing that the first defendant was ‘flat broke’ with no resources to keep her,” the affidavit reads.
“Additionally, the plaintiff’s original composition was taken from her and recorded as the sound recording titled ‘Intro’ and featured in the second to the fifth defendant’s latest studio album titled ‘Midnight train’ without her knowledge or consent and released in June 2020 on worldwide digital streaming platforms and social media and she was accredited as co-author of said song,” it continues.
