Conflicting Court Claims Arise As Qing Madi, JTON, And KFMD Dispute Over Spotify

The legal and contractual dispute involving Nigerian singer Qing Madi has escalated into a public disagreement, with her former label JTON Entertainment and her current management, KFMD, offering conflicting interpretations of a Lagos court ruling related to her ongoing Spotify takedown issue.

What started as a TikTok livestream has grown into a complex dispute featuring differing legal narratives, allegations regarding contract validity, and claims of copyright enforcement actions impacting the singer’s catalog.

The situation became more prominent after Qing Madi, the 19-year-old artist behind the EP Barely Legal, went live on TikTok to discuss the unexpected removal of her music from Spotify. During this session, she accused her former label head, Joy Tongo of JTON Music, of financial misconduct, forgery, and alleged efforts to hinder her career. She also stated that she had previously won a court case against the label while being a minor, indicating that her mother had to be involved in court.

In response, JTON Entertainment issued a formal statement denying any wrongdoing and characterizing the matter as a contractual and commercial disagreement rather than a personal conflict.

The label rejected claims of harassment or intimidation and challenged interpretations of the court ruling, asserting that the High Court of Lagos State granted an interlocutory injunction in its favor. JTON claimed the order prevents Qing Madi from releasing, performing, or commercially exploiting recordings created under the label, as well as from entering new agreements using the brand and platform it established, until the case is conclusively determined.

JTON also affirmed existing recording and distribution agreements with Sony Music and Bu Vision, stating that these contracts are legally binding and enforceable.

Conversely, KFMD, the management company currently representing Qing Madi, issued its own counter-statement on June 5, directly disputing JTON’s interpretation and presenting a significantly different legal stance.

Regarding the initiation of legal proceedings, KFMD argued that JTON filed the suit, not the artist. The company noted that the original contracts were signed when Qing Madi was 16 years old, labeling them as infancy contracts that are voidable under the Child’s Rights Law of Lagos State 2015.

KFMD asserted that the court upheld Qing Madi’s right to terminate the agreements, maintain control over her career choices, and establish new management and recording arrangements independent of JTON. The firm also indicated that the injunction referenced by JTON is limited to specific recordings associated with the disputed contracts and does not impose a broader restriction on her career.

Additionally, KFMD made further allegations, claiming that JTON issued copyright takedown notices to platforms such as Spotify and Audiomack for rights it does not legally control. It also alleged that cease-and-desist letters were sent to promoters and event organizers to prevent Qing Madi from performing, actions characterized as misrepresentations of the court ruling and attempts to impose restrictions beyond what the court ordered.

As both parties have taken firm positions in the ongoing legal interpretations, this situation has sparked a broader industry discussion regarding contracts signed by minors, label ownership structures, and the application of interim court orders within the Nigerian music sector.

Currently, the substantive case has yet to reach trial, while Barely Legal continues to be partially affected on streaming platforms because of the ongoing dispute.