Hong Kong pop princess G. E. M., dubbed China’s Taylor Swift, files ‘coercion’ lawsuit at record label as bitter US$15 million contract dispute intensifies
- Gloria Tang accuses former label of pressure, coercion and illegal activities
- New lawsuit follows labels demand for US$15 million in damages
A Hong Kong pop princess has fired back at her former record label in what is becoming an increasingly bitter feud over the termination of her multimillion-dollar contract.
In a new lawsuit, Gloria Tang Tsz-kei, best known by her stage name G. E. M., accused her long-time label of pressure and coercion over a 2014 contract and for engaging in unspecified “illegal activities”, according to a court document made available on Monday.
The singer-songwriter, sometimes called China’s Taylor Swift, asked the High Court to rule that her contract with Hummingbird Music was over at the end in March. The Hong Kong-based record label had previously argued that the agreement was valid until 2022.
The singer-songwriter asked the court to ban Hummingbird from using her trademark and music with immediate effect. She also requested an unspecified amount of compensation, claiming that the label’s founders and staff breached contractual duties. Tang had been with the record label for 12 years.
Tang’s legal action, which was filed April 5, followed a lawsuit by Hummingbird on March 29 that insisted the signer was still under contract. The company demanded HK$120 million (US$15.2 million) in damages.