Grammy-winning singer and Oscar-nominated actor Andra Day and her former manager have filed dueling lawsuits, with both parties accusing one another of misconduct and financial wrongdoing.
Day was introduced to Jeff Evans through Stevie Wonder’s wife, and she signed a deal with his Buskin Records and BassLine Management in 2011. According to its website, Buskin Records lists Day as a client, but the management company does not reveal its client list, according to Variety and Page Six.
What did Evans accuse Day of in his lawsuit?
On Monday, Evans filed a lawsuit against Day, claiming she failed to pay him a 40% share of her publishing royalties and a 20% commission on other deals. He also alleges that between 2012 and 2017, expenses for Day exceeded her income, resulting in financial losses for him, according to Variety.
The suit also states that Day allegedly did not pay Evans $850,000, which includes the funds related to Day’s leading role in Netflix’s The Deliverance and money from publishing advances via Kobalt. He then claimed the “Rise Up” singer breached her contract, and he alleged that he has not received any payments from her regarding their agreements since 2024.
Day said she has money issues and is facing eviction, according to her countersuit
In her countersuit Tuesday, Day pushed back on Evans’ claims, stating that the 40% in publishing royalties were “exploitative” and that the agreements they made had ended in June 2023. However, Evans alleged that certain aspects of those agreements remained in effect after that time, per Variety.
The 40-year-old also claimed Evans was “caught red-handed stealing,” having allegedly misappropriated a $600,000 recording fund and $1 million from her music income. According to the suit, Day is facing extreme financial issues and is in the midst of losing her home because of Evans’ alleged “greed,” Page Six reported.
“He siphoned so much money from Day — a quadruple-platinum hitmaker and Golden Globe Best Actress winner — that he left her facing eviction, unable to pay the monthly minimum on her credit card debt, and without sufficient funds to tour,” the lawsuit alleges, per the outlet.
Day’s lawyers stated in the lawsuit that “the Buskin Defendants have admitted to failing to pay Day [at least] $575,486.00” and that she “believes this amount is significantly more,” per Page Six.