Pop Artist Ke$ha Faces Breach of Contract Lawsuit

Pop artist Ke$ha is being sued for millions by her former mangers, claiming that she failed to honor a commission deal.

Ke$ha is now facing a $14 million breach of contract lawsuit as New York-based firm DAS Communications Inc, claims that the pop artist signed a contract in 2006 agreeing to pay a commission for helping her to land a major recording contract, the Associated Press reports.

The former managers say that the singer squeezed them out of her career under pressure from hit song writer Dr. Luke. Ke$ha, who had the No. 1 song in the country with "TiK ToK" earlier this year.

According to a copy of the contract attached to a lawsuit DAS field, the agreement called for 20 percent of Ke$ha's music income, but it gave her the option of ending the relationship if DAS didn't get her a major-label record deal in a year.

Typically, a breach of contract is one party's failure to live up to any of his or her responsibilities under a contract.

A breach of contract can occur by:

• the failure to perform as promised;
• making it impossible for the other party to perform; or
• the repudiation of the contract (announcing an intent not to perform)

The main remedies for a breach of contract include damages, specific performance, cancellation and restitution.

Ultimately Ke$ha signed with RCA/Jive Label Group. DAS is seeking more than $14 million in damages from her and $12 million from Dr. Luke. The hitmaker's real name is Lukasz Gottwald, wrote five of the top hits of 2009, including Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold," Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA" and Flo Rida's  "Right Round."

Ke$ha's attorney, Charles Ortner, reportedly said she was entitled to end her relationship with the firm and that the lawsuit seeks to require her to pay commissions on her RCA/Jive record deal that had nothing to do with her former managers.

• Pop star Ke$ha sued by former managers in NYC (Associated Press)
• What is a breach of contract? (FindLaw)
• Remedies for Breach of Contract (FindLaw)