As Grammy‑nominated R&B artist Summer Walker seeks to exit her recording contract with Interscope Records, she is also pursuing fraud allegations against Love Renaissance Records, the indie label and management firm that initially signed her before its joint venture with Interscope.
In a recently filed 10‑page lawsuit first obtained by Rolling Stone, Walker accuses Love Renaissance of locking her into an overly burdensome contract, diverting funds from her budgets, and denying her revenue from Amazon and YouTube pages that feature her name and likeness.
“The LVRN Agreement granted particularly oppressive and extensive rights to the defendant, giving it significant control over Walker,” the complaint, filed August 28 but only made public on Tuesday, states. “The defendant has violated its fiduciary duties of good faith and fair dealing to such an extent that it has breached the agreement.”
The lawsuit claims Love Renaissance improperly siphoned money from Walker’s touring, recording, marketing, and merchandising budgets, while charging excessive expenses to those accounts in bad faith.
Walker’s attorney, Keith Moten, said on Tuesday that the singer, who signed with Love Renaissance at age 19, no longer trusts the label to safeguard her interests.
“Summer is entering a new chapter of her life,” Moten told Rolling Stone. “She has faced many personal and professional challenges, is now a mother, and no longer places blind trust in others. She is prepared to fight for her freedom, her peace, and herself.”
Moten added that Walker had trusted Love Renaissance to act fairly and in her best interest as a young artist, but now believes the company betrayed that trust after she devoted some of her most productive years to the label.
“Summer has delivered iconic music for LVRN and some of the best years of her life,” Moten said. “In return, LVRN has broken her trust and let her down in multiple ways.”
He noted that the lawsuit seeks damages for the alleged breaches, but Walker’s primary goal is to terminate her contractual relationship with the company. “Most importantly, we have strong legal grounds for the court to order her release from the LVRN deal,” Moten said.
Walker alleges that Love Renaissance sold merchandise bearing her name and likeness on Amazon and other retail sites without sharing the proceeds, and that it ran a YouTube channel in her name without her knowledge, deleted its historical data before handing control back to her, and withheld any revenue the channel had generated.
The complaint asserts breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, and fraudulent concealment. Walker is asking the court to declare her September 15 2017 agreement with Love Renaissance void and unenforceable, and to award compensatory and punitive damages to be determined by the court.
Representatives for Love Renaissance did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Rolling Stone on Tuesday.
Last week, Interscope and its parent company UMG sued Walker in Los Angeles County Superior Court, claiming that her notice of intent to exit the contract under California’s so‑called “seven‑year rule” would entitle UMG to recover damages upward of $50 million. Walker has disputed those claims.
Walker signed with Love Renaissance on September 15 2017 and with Interscope on November 1 2017. She later rose to stardom, and industry experts told Rolling Stone that, in hindsight, her contract terms appeared “brutal.”
In August, Walker notified Interscope that she would cease working under the agreement. “This letter shall serve as official notice that, effective August 27 2026, Ms. Walker will no longer render service under the agreement because it is no longer enforceable,” her letter to the label stated, according to court filings.
In its lawsuit filed Friday, October 9, Interscope claimed that Walker’s failure to deliver all recordings required by her contract would make her liable for damages. The label said her original 2017 agreement and subsequent amendments obligate her to deliver five studio albums, classifying her earlier projects, Last Day of Summer and CLEAR, as pre‑album efforts that do not count toward that total.
On Friday, Moten told Rolling Stone that he and his client were “disappointed that Interscope has chosen to pursue litigation.” He said they remain confident in Walker’s legal position and her right to challenge the enforceability of her Interscope contract. “We intend to vigorously defend against Interscope’s claims and pursue appropriate legal relief,” he said.
Moten said Walker plans to countersue the record label. “Summer is open to a constructive resolution and hopes the matter can be settled in a way that respects everyone’s interests and avoids unnecessary or prolonged litigation,” he said. “In the meantime, she remains focused on her music, her artistry, her children, and her fans.”
UMG’s Los Angeles lawsuit seeks at least $50 million in damages, to be determined at trial, plus prejudgment interest, legal costs, and any further relief the court deems appropriate.
“While we remain hopeful that ongoing discussions will lead to an amicable resolution, the statutory deadline compels us to file suit to preserve the contract’s terms,” an Interscope spokesperson said in a statement to Rolling Stone. “We hold great respect for Summer and her music and would welcome the chance to continue our successful partnership.”
