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Jason Derulo, a judge on Seven’s The Voice singing competition show, has been accused by a US singer of asking for sexual favours in return for help with her career.

Emaza Gibson, who goes by the stage name Emaza Dilan, filed a lawsuit on Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accusing the singer of aggressive behaviour, harassment and unwanted sexual advances. The charges date back to a series of offences allegedly committed in 2021 and 2022.

Jason Derulo and Emaza Gibson at his Californian studio in 2021.Credit: NBC/Emaza Gibson

Derulo joined The Voice as a judge this year and is coaching one of four contestants in Sunday’s grand finale. This masthead has sought comment from Derulo via his agent. Separately, a representative for Seven said they would not be making any comment at this stage.

Gibson, 25, first formed a musical act with her sisters, Ceraadi in 2015. The group gained popularity, amassing more than 1.25 million subscribers on their YouTube channel, before Gibson embarked on a solo career.

Derulo during this year’s blind auditions for The Voice.

In August 2021, Derulo approached Gibson, proposing a joint venture between his music imprint, Future History, and Atlantic Records, in a deal that would require Gibson to produce a mixtape in four months and an album in six, according to documents filed in the lawsuit made available by West Coast Trial Lawyers. The contract also stipulated that she make a single featuring Derulo.

Gibson alleges that while recording, Derulo told her that if she wanted to succeed in the music business, she would need to take part in “goat skin and fish scales” – a reference to conducting sex rituals, sacrificing a goat, goat blood and doing cocaine, according to the lawsuit.

Lawyers for Gibson say this meant Derulo was demanding sexual acts for their client in order for him to fulfil his role as mentor and music collaborator. Gibson claims she rejected Derulo’s advances and was dropped from Atlantic and Future History on September 6, 2022, according to the lawsuit.

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