Nominated Senator Crystal Asige has taken her former colleagues, the acclaimed band Sauti Sol, and their record label, Sol Generation, to court over allegations of exploitation, copyright infringement, and unfair dismissal.
The visually impaired songwriter and performer, who has gained recognition as a representative of persons living with disabilities, accuses the defendants of profiting from her disability while failing to recognize her contributions to their music catalog.
Crystal’s lawsuit, filed in 2022, centers on five songs she claims to have co-written and performed during her time with Sol Generation.
These include hits like Extravaganza, Ukiwa Mbali, and 1919 to Forever. She alleges that the label and band used her likeness, disability, and image as a marketing tool, positioning her as a pioneering artist with disabilities while sidelining her financially.
“They used my disability as a selling point for their PR campaigns. It was portrayed as if the label was championing and supporting me as an artist with a disability,” she testified before Lady Justice Margaret Mwangi at the High Court.
According to Asige, her troubles began when she sought to negotiate a fair recording deal with Sol Generation.
She rejected an Artist Development Agreement, which she considered exploitative, and instead requested discussions about a 360 recording deal.
Her requests were allegedly ignored despite repeated attempts to meet with the band members. In the meantime, Asige claims the label continued to promote her as one of their artists without a binding contract, further exploiting her work and image.
She also asserts that her original composition, Intro, was included in Sauti Sol’s album Midnight Train without her consent, only crediting her as a co-author post-release.
Asige alleges she was dismissed during a November 2019 meeting attended by Bien-Aimé Baraza, Sol Generation’s legal manager Moriasi Omambia, and label manager Natasha Qubu.
The reasons cited for her dismissal were conflicting. According to Asige, Bien claimed she was the weakest performer, though he praised her songwriting skills.
Omambia allegedly cited financial difficulties, saying the label was “flat broke.”
“The reasons were contradictory and unclear. It felt like they were grasping at straws to justify my dismissal,” Asige stated.
Asige is seeking compensation for her contributions to songs she co-wrote and performed, including Extravaganza, Lenga, and others. She also demands transparency regarding licensing information and earnings from these songs.
Notably, she claims she was promised the master recording rights to Lenga during her dismissal, a song reportedly tied to a KLM Airlines campaign for which the label received Ksh5 million.
Defense by Sauti Sol
Sauti Sol and Sol Generation have denied the allegations. In a written testimony, Omambia stated that Asige was treated with care and respect, especially during her medical procedures.
He categorically denied any exploitation of her disability. Bien-Aimé, speaking in a 2022 interview with Mpasho maintained that the band is open to resolving the matter in court.
“Let us meet in court and put all our documents on the table. These matters can be best handled legally,” he said.
Asige is now urging the court to compel the defendants to disclose earnings from her work and provide all licensing details.
by GEOFFREY MBUTHIA
