Actress and singer Andra Day is in a legal battle with her manager, Jeff Evans, with both sides claiming to be owed money.
Day began working with Evans in 2010, five years before the release of her Grammy-nominated debut album “Cheers to the Fall” and its hit single “Rise Up.” What started as a strong business relationship has now unraveled into dueling lawsuits filled with accusations of greed, betrayal, and missing funds.
Evans filed first on October 6th in Los Angeles, claiming Day refused to honor contract terms that give him a 40% royalty on her publishing and a 20% commission on other income. His complaint alleges Day stopped paying in 2024 and that he is owed a cut of publishing advances from Kobalt, reportedly totaling $1.5 million, along with backend payments from her Netflix film “The Deliverance.”
“Plaintiffs are informed and believe and, based upon such information and belief, allege that plaintiffs are owed a minimum of $850,000 as of the date of the complaint,” wrote Evans’ lawyers Edwin McPherson and Brian Caplan.
Day responded on October 7th with her own lawsuit, calling the agreements “exploitative” and accusing Evans of stealing from her. She claims he misused a $600,000 Warner Records fund and took more than $1 million in royalties.
“Evans abused his role as a fiduciary to scam Day with blindless greed,” said her attorney James Sammataro. He added that Evans “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.”
Day alleges Evans stole at least $1.6 million and calls for an investigation into the “web of deceit” surrounding her finances.
