Kelsea Ballerini Sues Over Alleged Hack of Unreleased Album

Country music singer Kelsea Ballerini sued a former fan who she says unlawfully gained access to her unreleased music and distributed it to fans.

Ballerini, along with her music producer and record label, filed a complaint Thursday in the US District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee alleging Bo Ewing infringed their copyrights.

Ewing illicitly accessed either Ballerini or her producer’s private device, the complaint alleges. Ewing was then able to obtain login credentials to a data room where he accessed and downloaded the unreleased music and sent it to members of Ballerini’s fan club, the complaint says.

Ewing is a former member of Ballerini’s fan club but has since become disenfranchised with her, according to the complaint.

“The most critical time for an album’s success is its initial release date,” the complaint says. “Hacks like this substantially diminish both performers’ and labels’ ability to realize the full benefits of the release because the work is already available for download, for free, at the time of the official release.”

Ballerini is suing under a federal copyright infringement statute and federal and Tennessee laws against accessing private devices, and conversation. She is seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to prevent Ewing from further releasing the music, as well as damages, and attorneys’ fees.

Ewing didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw, Jr. is assigned to the case.

Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton LLP represents Ballerini, her producer, and her record label.

The case is Black River Ent. LLC v. Ewing, M.D. Tenn., 3:24-cv-00488, 4/18/24.