Summer Walker to countersue Interscope in contract fight

Summer Walker plans to countersue Interscope Records after the label sued her on 9 October in a dispute over her recording contract. The label says she could owe US$50 million if she leaves before delivering all the albums she agreed to make, according to Billboard.

Walker's attorney, Keith Moten, confirmed the countersuit plan in a statement responding to the lawsuit. He said Walker is disappointed that Interscope chose to pursue litigation. He said she is confident in her legal position.

Moten said Walker believes she has the right to challenge whether her Interscope recording contract can still be enforced. He said she intends to defend the label's claims vigorously and pursue appropriate legal relief in her favour. That defence will include her own claim against the label.

The case turns on a deal Walker signed in 2017. In August, she sent a legal notice seeking to terminate it under California's seven-year statute, a law that generally limits personal-service contracts to seven years from when work starts.

Interscope, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, argues that five albums were promised and only three have been delivered. It names those three as Over It in 2019, Still Over It in 2021 and Finally Over It in 2025. Two albums, on its reading, remain due.

An Interscope representative said the lawsuit was filed to preserve its contractual rights. The seven-year statute gives an employer a 45-day window to sue for damages after receiving a termination notice. The label said it still hopes continued talks with Walker will lead to an amicable resolution and welcomed carrying on the partnership.

For listeners, the practical question is where any future Walker music will be released while the contracts are argued over. Both sides say they would prefer a settlement without prolonged litigation.