Sony Music has denied conceding that three songs on the posthumous Michael Jackson album ‘Michael’ were recorded by an impersonator.
Ever since ‘Michael’ was released in 2010, some fans, as well as the Jackson family, have had their doubts over whether it was actually the King of Pop’s vocals on the album, particularly on the songs ‘Keep Your Head Up’, the 50 Cent collaboration ‘Monster’ and ‘Breaking News’, which served as a teaser track for the project.
On Friday, multiple outlets ran reports based around supposed court documents, in which Sony were said to have conceded that these tracks actually feature the voice of a Michael Jackson impersonator, though the label has now denied making any such admission.
In a statement issued to Variety, Zia Modabber, a lawyer for Sony Music, said: “No one has conceded that Michael Jackson did not sing on the songs.
“The hearing Tuesday was about whether the First Amendment protects Sony Music and the Estate and there has been no ruling on the issue of whose voice is on the recordings.”
Eddie Cascio - a friend of Michael Jackson’s, and the co-producer of the three tracks in question - has always maintained that the songs were recorded at his home studio in 2007, two years before the singer’s death.
In 2011, TMZ ran a story based on a quote from a Facebook post by Michael Jackson impersonator Jason Malachi, suggesting it was his voice on the songs produced by Cascio.
However, Malachi later claimed that his Facebook had been hacked at the time the post was shared.
Following the controversial release of ‘Michael’ in 2010, a follow-up came four years later, titled ‘Xscape’, which included the the Justin Timberlake feature ‘Love Doesn’t Have To Hurt’.