Crystal Asige
In 2022, Kenyan singer and nominated Senator Crystal Asige took popular music group Sauti Sol and their label, Sol Generation Records, to court, accusing them of discrimination, exploitation, and violation of her intellectual property rights.
In a detailed witness statement filed at the High Court, Asige describes what she calls a pattern of exclusion and mistreatment after joining the label.
In her witness statement, nominated Senator Asige says she joined Sol Generation Records with the hope of launching her career under one of Kenya’s biggest music labels. She recounts how she moved from Mombasa to Nairobi in 2019 at her own cost after being promised a contract and mentorship from Sauti Sol members, promises she says never materialised.
According to Asige, she worked on songwriting and recording sessions without pay or a formal agreement, even as her music began attracting national attention. She cites the success of Extravaganza, where she featured prominently, claiming her rising fame was used to bolster the group’s image as champions of young artists and inclusivity.
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