Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Skylar Grey has revealed that selling her song catalog was her only way to afford her divorce.
In a new interview with Variety, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Skylar Grey has revealed that she had to sell her song catalog to pay for her harrowing divorce.
The singer – whose impressive list of collaborations included Eminem and Rihanna‘s ‘Love The Way You Lie’, P. Diddy’s ‘Coming Home’ and Dr. Dre’s ‘I Need A Doctor’ – had been laying low since her last album, Natural History. During the time, she says, she hit ‘rock bottom’ and had to sell her catalog to afford legal fees, but forced to keep it private due since the proceedings were ongoing.
“Since 2017 I was going through a divorce and lawsuit, that was just wrecking me emotionally and financially.” she told Variety, before admitting that it wasn’t an easy decision to make.
“This past year, 2021, we finally resolved it, settled, I had to sell my catalog in order to afford the settlement, which was very sad in a way, because those songs like “Love The Way You Lie” and “Coming Home,” those are my babies.” she said.
“But at the same time, nobody can tell me I didn’t write those songs just ’cause I don’t own the rights to them anymore. I didn’t want to sell them, but it was my only way to put the past behind me.” she added.
Grey also admitted that while she was relieved about being out of the legal maelstrom, she would always ‘treasure’ the tracks.
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“They’re still near and dear to my heart and yeah, I will always treasure them, but it’s different now. Every time one of those songs get used in a movie or whatever, I don’t see any of that money anymore.” she said, before adding that had she not made the decision to sell the songs, she would not have left what was an abusive marriage.
“But unfortunately, the majority of what I got paid for my catalog went to taxes and my ex-husband. [Laughs] It’s like your life’s work, and then suddenly it’s like, “Okay, I’ve got to give the majority of this away.” But that was my only option. Luckily, I had the option of doing something like that, otherwise I may not have gotten out of the case.” she said.
Grey filed for divorce from her erstwhile husband, Tom Mandel, in 2017. Shortly after, she filed for a restraining order against him, claiming that he was dangerous and had also threatened to bring harm to her then-boyfriend Elliot Taylor.
“I believe there is an imminent threat he is going to physically hurt me. I am in serious fear for my safety.” she had claimed at the time, adding that Mandel had ‘screenshots on his phone of private messages and pictures of me that she should not have access to … and that he hid recording devices in my phone.’
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Check out Skylar Grey’s statement on selling her song catalog:
