Jason Derulo signed a singer, then dropped her after she rebuffed his sexual advances, she alleges in a lawsuit
Emza Gibson has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court accusing singer Jason Derulo of ending a record deal after she rejected repeated sexual advances. The complaint, filed Thursday, alleges that Derulo retaliated against Gibson when she declined invitations to drink and go out, and that his conduct amounted to quid pro quo sexual harassment.
According to Gibson’s claims, while working with the artist and producer, she faced persistent unwanted invitations, pressure to socialize and suggestions that sexual favors were expected in exchange for career advancement. Gibson says the experience left her anxious and traumatized, and that the fallout cost her professionally and financially.
“I’m at this point in my life right now, it’s very heartbreaking,” Gibson told reporters in an interview. “I have anxiety; I’m traumatized. I’ve dealt with inhumane work situations. … I’m at this point where I’m back to zero and I have nothing.” A representative for Derulo did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Derulo reached out to the singer for a joint venture with Atlantic Records
Gibson, who is identified in the suit as 25 years old, says she and her sisters moved to Los Angeles in 2008 to pursue music. They formed the act Ceraadi, built a presence on YouTube with over a million subscribers, and later Gibson embarked on a solo career creating viral dance and music content.
Gibson says Derulo knew of Ceraadi and had previously invited the group to work with him. In August 2021, she says Derulo contacted her as a solo artist about a joint venture between his imprint, Future History, and Atlantic Records. The alleged deal required a mixtape within four months and a full album within six months, and included a single that would feature Derulo.
Gibson viewed the opportunity as a major career step. “I’m like, OK, well, Jason is a great artist — big, international, powered with Atlantic — this should be a no-brainer, and I should be able to, you know, start my solo career,” she said in the interview referenced in her filing.
Even after the singer insisted she didn’t drink, she claims Derulo kept trying to ply her with alcohol
Gibson alleges that once they began working together, Derulo frequently invited her to drinks, dinners and encouraged drinking during studio sessions. She says she repeatedly declined those invitations, telling him she did not drink.
The suit recounts an incident in September 2021 when Gibson agreed to have a drink in the studio and was allegedly given “inappropriately large amounts of alcohol.” She says she took a sip, found it too strong and reiterated that she did not drink.
“I told him that I wasn’t a drinker … so it’s like, you know, you’re not listening to that the first time I tell you, and you’re still pushing on me,” Gibson said. She describes the repeated invitations as pressure and says she eventually confronted Derulo about having to compromise her morals to get ahead in the industry.
Gibson alleges Derulo responded with a strange remark about “goat skin and fish scales,” which she interpreted as an explicit demand for sex in exchange for professional opportunities.
Derulo eventually grew cold and attempted to ghost her
The lawsuit states that after a meeting in which Derulo brought another woman—and that woman admitted she was in a sexual relationship with Derulo—Gibson confronted him and was met with anger. While she did sign a deal with Atlantic, she says Derulo failed to assign her a project manager and began ignoring her messages.
Gibson says she complained to Atlantic, after which Derulo resumed some involvement. But the relationship soured again when he reacted angrily after she arrived late to a session; she alleges she never worked with him after that incident. In July 2022, Gibson says an Atlantic A&R executive acknowledged Derulo’s behavior and told her, “the Atlantic team wants you to win, but I can’t say the same for Jason.”
According to the complaint, Gibson was formally dropped from Atlantic and Future History on Sept. 6, 2022. Her lawsuit accuses Derulo, his imprint and Atlantic Records of sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, failure to remedy workplace harassment and violations of California’s civil rights laws.
Gibson seeks damages for unpaid wages, lost earnings, deferred compensation, employment benefits and emotional distress. The complaint frames the alleged conduct as part of a pattern of coercive behavior that harmed her career and caused significant personal trauma.