Aspiring singer Emaza Dilan has accused Jason Derulo of sexual harassment and retaliation in a new lawsuit.
Filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Gibson claims that Derulo signed her to a record deal and dropped her after she rejected his sexual advances toward her.
The paperwork, reviewed by NBC News, says Derulo first contacted Gibson in August 2021. He presented her an opportunity to become a solo artist under his music imprint Future History in collaboration with Atlantic Records.
The singer, real name Emaza Gibson, moved to Los Angeles in 2008 to pursue an industry career with her sisters, Saiyr and Znuie, in a group called Ceraadi. Ceraadi ultimately racked up over one million subscribers on YouTube. When the group split up, Gibson decided to pursue a career as a solo artist while her two sisters moved away from the music industry.
Emaza Gibson Accuses Jason Derulo Of Repeated Unwanted Advances
But, while recording music with Derulo to present to Atlantic Records, Gibson claims Derulo often invited her to drinks and dinners at a members-only lounge and in private studio sessions. She maintains that she repeatedly declined the offers.
In September 2021, Emaza Dilan did agreed to a drink with Derulo in the studio. However, the suit says she was given “inappropriately large amounts of alcohol.” She admits telling the “Whatchu Say” singer that the drink was too strong. In an interview with NBC News, Emaza said the moment felt like “pressure” given all the other rejected offers.
Another allegation accuses Derulo of telling Gibson she may have to partake in “goat skin and fish scales,” which she interpreted to be “sexual acts” and a reference to doing cocaine. She later took this proposal as an “explicit demand for sex-in-exchange-for-success.”
Speaking to NBC, Gibson says she recalls telling Derulo she would not go against her morals to move ahead and be successful.
Then, in November 2021, Emaza Dilan reportedly traveled to New York for a meeting with Jason Derulo. While there, he allegedly informed her another woman and presumed artist named Rosa would be joining. After listening to Rosa’s music and exchanging a few words, Emaza took her presence as an “example” of how her career could progress should she sleep with Derulo.
Jason Derulo reportedly “lost control and began aggressively hitting his armrest” after Emaza told his manager, Frank Harris, that Rosa made her feel “thrown off guard.”
Still, she reportedly signed a deal with him following the meeting. But Derulo allegedly did not assign her a project manager until she contacted Atlantic Records directly.
Gibson Suing Jason Derulo For Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment
Their relationship continued to be strained. In June 2022, he allegedly dismissed her concerns over her budget and song selections, per the suit. Then, in a follow-up recording session that month, Derulo allegedly became enraged that Gibson was late due to traffic. Gibson alleges he “lunged” at her in front of her mother, a videographer and engineer. By this point, Gibson feared for her safety, according to the suit.
Following the events, Gibson allegedly contacted Atlantic Records in July 2022 to discuss Derulo’s “hostility.” According to the lawsuit, the responding A&R executive acknowledged Derulo’s behavior and told Gibson, “The Atlantic team wants you to win, but I can’t say the same for Jason.”
NBC reports that Atlantic and Future History dropped Gibson on September 6, 2022.
“I’m just trying to fight for what’s right because what was done to me was not OK,” Gibson told NBC. “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 weren’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.”
Emaza’s lawsuit accuses Jason Derulo, Future History, and Atlantic Records of sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, failure to remedy workplace harassment, and violation of California’s Civil Rights Act.
She’s seeking compensation, in part, for unpaid wages, lost earnings and employment benefits.
Ron Zambrano, the attorney representing Lizzo’s former dancers, represents her in the suit.
Zambrano says Derulo “broke promises and breached contracts,” adding that “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.”
