A music producer is allegingindie rock musician Phoebe Bridgerspurposely plotted a “revenge vendetta” against him and is seeking millions of dollars indamages.
Chris Nelson filed a lawsuit to the Los Angeles Superior Court Tuesday accusing Bridgers of defamation, false light and emotional distress after previously being in a “consensual sexual relationship” with the musician and his former girlfriend, Emily Bannon.
In the lawsuit obtained by USA TODAY, Nelson says after his relationship with Bannon ended in 2019, Bridgers continued a relationship with her while publishing “false and defamatory statements” against Nelson on Instagram.
USA TODAY reached the representative of Bridgers.
According to the lawsuit, Bridgers posted statements in 2020 to her public Instagram account, called @_fake_nudes at the time, stating she “witnessed and can personally verify much of the abuse (grooming, stealing, violence) perpetuated by Chris Nelson.” Nelson also says Bridgers directed her followers to Bannon’s page, which accused Nelson of racially-motivated hate crimes, robbery and assault.
Nelson “is informed and believes that defendant Bridgers maliciously and intentionally posted the false and defamatory statements about (him) as part of a vendetta to destroy (his) reputation that was enflamed by defendant Bridgers and Bannon’s sexual relationship,” the complaint reads.
After he claims that the statements adversely affected his business, Nelson is suing Nelson for damages of at least $3.8million.
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“As a result of defendant Bridgers’ statements, musicians and artists removed (Nelson) from their projects and stripped (him) of credits that he had obtained in producing their music,” the lawsuit adds.
Nelson’s attorneys want the matter to be resolved in a jury trial.
Bridgers released her first studio album, “Stranger in the Alps,” in 2017. Her sophomore album, “Punisher,” earned her four Grammy nominations including for best new artist at the 2021 ceremony.
