American Idol season 11 winner Phillip Phillips has filed a lawsuit that asserts Idol producer 19 Entertainment has “manipulated” him into accepting jobs since his win in May 2012, says The Hollywood Reporter.
Phillips filed the petition with the California Labor Commissioner on January 22, saying he has been forced to perform for free for an Idol sponsor and didn’t know the title of his last album before it was announced publicly. So the singer is seeking to void his various agreements with 19, which his lawyer calls “oppressive, fatally conflicted”.
“I am very grateful for the opportunities provided to me through appearing on American Idol,” says Phillips. “The value that the fans and the show have given to my career is not lost on me. However, I have not felt that I have been free to conduct my career in a way that I am comfortable with. I look forward to being able to make my own choices about my career and to being able to make great music and play it for my fans.”
Before winning, Phillips signed a series of contracts governing his management, merchandising, recording and publishing — deals that are “quite favourable” to 19 Entertainment, a company founded by Simon Fuller that also produces other shows such as So You Think You Can Dance, adds the report. In one instance, 19 gets as much as a 40 per cent cut when Phillips does endorsements.
A spokesperson for 19 Entertainment told The Hollywood Reporter: “We’re very proud of everything we’ve accomplished together with Phillip, working closely to help nurture his extraordinary talent and advance his career. We have always acted in the best interest of Phillip. We will vigorously defend ourselves from any baseless claims to the contrary and from any attempt to interfere with our rights and relationships.”
