Singer Andra Day and her former collaborator Evans are facing off in a bitter legal feud over money, royalties, and allegations of theft.
Evans struck first, filing a lawsuit in Los Angeles on October 6, claiming Day has refused to pay him what he’s owed under their contract, which allegedly includes 40% of her publishing royalties and 20% of other profits. According to his complaint, Day has withheld payments since 2024, and he’s seeking a judge’s ruling that he’s entitled to his share of her publishing advances from Kobalt, allegedly totaling $1.5 million, plus backend earnings from her Netflix movie The Deliverance.
“Evans abused his role as a fiduciary to scam Day with blindless greed,” her attorney James Sammataro wrote per Billboard. “He siphoned so much money from Day — a quadruple-platinum hitmaker and Golden Globe Best Actress winner — that he left her facing eviction, unable to pay the monthly minimum on her credit card debt and without sufficient funds to tour.”
Evans’ attorneys say he’s owed at least $850,000.
Day hit back the next day, filing her own lawsuit on Oct. 7 and painting a very different picture. She argues the original deal was “exploitative” and had already expired in 2023. Day accuses Evans of being the real wrongdoer, claiming he “was caught red-handed stealing,” allegedly misusing a $600,000 recording fund from Warner Records and taking over $1 million in royalties from her songs and master recordings.