Jason Derulo Says He'll 'Never Work With Women' After Lawsuit
‘It’s Too Risky’ — Jason Derulo Says Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Forced Him To Stop Working With Women Altogether
Jason Derulo is finally opening up about how the long-running sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him in 2023 has reshaped his approach to work and relationships, and impacted his career as a whole.
The singer discussed the legal battle during a recent episode of In Depth with Graham Bensinger, released Dec. 4. The lawsuit was filed by singer Emaza Dilan and has been dismissed twice: once in California and once in New York. Notably, Complex reported that days after the interview was recorded in September 2025, the case was refiled in New York. Despite earlier dismissals, Derulo said the allegations continue to impact his career.
When asked by Bensinger what lesson he took away from the experience, Derulo, 37, responded without hesitation: “Never work with women.”
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While the statement sounds harsh, Derulo said it reflects how he does business now in the music industry.
“There’s truth in every joke, but it’s the sad truth. I will never be alone in a room with a woman that I work with… ever, ever again,” he said. “It’s too risky…when that case was brought up, it was on every single blog, every single front page, and I lost so many brand deals, relationships, off a story that was not even slightly believable.”
What did Emaza Gibson accuse Jason Derulo of in her sexual harassment lawsuit?
Court records obtained by Rolling Stone show that Emaza Gibson, professionally known as Emaza Dilan, initially sued Derulo and Atlantic Records in October 2023 in Los Angeles. A California judge dismissed the case last year, citing artist agreements that required all disputes to be handled in New York courts. Gibson’s September filing in Manhattan repeats the allegations but invokes New York statutes, including claims of discrimination, retaliation, hostile work environment, breach of contract, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
“This case arises out of a recording deal gone wrong due to egregious sexual harassment, broken promises, and retaliatory career sabotage,” the 49-page complaint alleges, according to Rolling Stone. “What began as a dream opportunity quickly descended into a nightmare of quid pro quo sexual harassment and intimidation.”
In the September 2025 filing, Gibson, now 27, claims Derulo contacted her via direct message in August 2021, expressing interest in signing her to a joint venture between Atlantic Records and his Future History label. She alleged Derulo, then 35, promised mentorship and album collaborations, leaving her “over the moon” about the opportunity and his willingness to use his “star power to boost her introduction to the market.”
Emaza Gibson further alleged that the relationship shifted when Derulo pressured her to drink alcohol during late-night meetings and made sexually explicit remarks on Nov. 2, 2021. According to the lawsuit, Derulo told her that if she wanted to “make it” in the industry, she would need to participate in what the filing describes as “ritualistic sex acts.” Gibson claims she declined and that Derulo “became increasingly disinterested and aloof” afterward.
Jason Derulo revealed he lost “millions” from the lawsuit and detailed some of the wild allegations.
During the interview on In Depth with Graham Bensinger, Derulo referenced one of the more sensational claims in the lawsuit, saying it included an allegation that he “sacrificed a goat in a sexual ritual.”
Reflecting on the damaging accusation, he added, “All people read was the headline, and that’s all it takes to lose everything. I lost millions of dollars….how can I be comfortable being in a room with a woman that I work with and not feel like she can just say whatever she wants? It’s not worth it to me,” he continued, explaining that he now ensures someone else is present during any professional interactions with women.
Derulo also criticized media coverage of the case, arguing that outlets failed to report on the dismissals. “Why didn’t they post the dismissal at least?” he asked. “Wouldn’t that be fair? God damn. None of that? It’s crazy.”
He continued, “I really want to respond to the blogs. I want to tell them like, what is wrong with y’all?…It’s been places that I’ve done interviews with, and I’ve just been so kind and like generous with my time, and then they post that and don’t post the dismissal? It got dismissed twice. You ain’t post the second one? You didn’t post the first one? Damn. Like none of that? It’s crazy.”
Throughout the conversation, Derulo repeatedly highlighted the difficulty of publicly defending himself from “embellishments” that have been told about his character and personal life. “It seems distasteful to combat stories that have been told about me,” he said. “It seems like there’s no winning.”
The singer and dancer also revealed where he stands when it comes to monogamy, telling Bensinger that he doesn’t believe monogamy is for him at the moment as he’s seen too many relationships go wrong.
“I’m tainted. You can imagine the things that I’ve seen….Today, I don’t think [monogamy] it’s for me. There was a point that I thought that it was,” Derulo said with honesty. “I don’t think that there’s any issues as long as the people that you’re dealing with understand where your mind is at and what you want. I think there’s a problem when there’s lies and false hopes.”
Watch the full interview with Jason Derulo on In Depth with Graham Bensinger above.
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The post ‘It’s Too Risky’ — Jason Derulo Says Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Forced Him To Stop Working With Women Altogether appeared first on MadameNoire.
‘It’s Too Risky’ — Jason Derulo Says Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Forced Him To Stop Working With Women Altogether was originally published on madamenoire.com
