The singer Lada Dance has been embroiled in a long-running dispute over the rights to her songs, pursuing a legal path against her former husband and producer, Leonid Velichkovsky. The tension centers on ownership and control of the artist’s musical catalog, with Dance contending that Velichkovsky sold her works without her knowledge or consent. This battle has stretched over several years, shaping how she presents her creative legacy and how she navigates the business side of music in Russia and beyond.
The dispute resurfaced in the public eye when Velichkovsky appeared on a talk show hosted by Andrei Malakhov. The program, titled Podcast. Laboratory. Neformat, featured an episode dedicated to Dance following a recent accident in which she was involved. On air, Velichkovsky defended his actions by recounting his role in the creation and distribution of some of Dance’s earliest and most influential recordings, arguing that the rights questions should be resolved through the court system rather than on television. Dance’s supporters viewed the appearance as a provocative moment in a saga that has included court filings, settlements, and ongoing negotiations about who legally owns the songs and who can license them for performances, compilations, and new media formats.
Dance has publicly stated that the lawsuit centers on ownership and consent. She indicated that Velichkovsky sold certain songs without informing her, a move she claims undermines her artistic control and her ability to profit from her own material. The singer notes that her debut album carries Velichkovsky’s name, a detail that reflects a collaborative history but also highlights the complexities of joint projects and shared authorship. Dance emphasized that the situation has evolved into a broader pattern of selling her works under names she did not approve, which has prompted concern among her fans and peers about the integrity of credits and the fair distribution of revenue from older and newer releases alike. Her comments on the matter reveal a resolve to safeguard her creative identity and ensure transparent handling of licensing and royalties for all her songs.
During the broadcast, Dance recalled a moment of surprise when Velichkovsky entered the studio with flowers, a gesture that she described as incongruous with the ongoing professional and legal strain. She explained that the scene underscored a clash between personal history and the realities of managing a long career in music, where relationships can become entangled with business arrangements. The singer’s remarks suggest that public perception can be influenced by appearances on television and social media, even as the core issues remain focused on legal rights, authorship, and fair compensation for the work that has shaped Dance’s artistic voice over the years.
In early August, a separate incident drew attention to Dance’s life outside of the courtroom. Three vehicles collided along the M-2 Crimean highway in the Moscow region, resulting in injuries to four people. Among the injured was the 51-year-old driver reported to be Lada Dance herself, who was hospitalized with rib and vertebral fractures. The crash also affected two other women in the vehicle, one with broken ribs and the other with a fractured jaw. The incident amplified public interest in Dance and her current projects, while raising questions about the impact of personal health on an artist’s ability to work and participate in forthcoming performances and negotiations related to the ongoing legal dispute.
On August 8, Sergei Pudovkin, who serves as the concert director for Dance, informed media outlets that the artist intends to file a lawsuit against the transportation company involved in the accident. The claim seeks 12 million rubles in damages, reflecting the seriousness with which Dance and her team view the consequences of the crash and its potential effects on touring schedules, production costs, and revenue streams tied to live performances and promotional activities. The announcement signaled that, even as the rights case marches forward, Dance remains focused on her commitments to concert schedules and audience expectations, while also pursuing accountability for the incident through the appropriate legal channels.
Beyond the immediate legal and personal matters, Dance has been navigating a broader narrative about ownership in the music industry. The case highlights how artists sometimes find themselves needing to assert control over their most valuable assets long after initial collaborations have taken shape. It also underscores the importance of clear written agreements, transparent royalty structures, and well-documented consent when songs are created, shared, or redistributed. In the public sphere, fans and industry observers watch closely how the courts interpret shared authorship versus sole ownership and how settlements might influence future licensing practices for legacy catalogues and new recordings alike. Dance’s supporters hope the outcome will clarify rights and create a fair framework for protecting artists’ contributions while keeping creative partnerships honest and sustainable. The evolving story remains a focal point for discussions about intellectual property, artist autonomy, and the business side of music in the contemporary era.
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