The confrontation between Christian Nodal and Universal Music has become one of the longest and most complex legal disputes in the recent industry. What began as the end of a record contract ended up escalating into a battle over intellectual property, exploitation rights and the authenticity of documents that, according to the record label, proved the continuity of their agreements.
The singer, on the contrary, maintains that these contracts were not only poorly negotiated, but that some signatures do not correspond to his will and that the company has tried to retain rights that no longer belong to him. His departure for Sony was the spark that detonated a war that already involved civil courts and a criminal accusation.
Universal claims that it has current contracts that cover the exploitation of recordings, compositions and products associated with the artist, in addition to pointing out that there are instruments signed by Nodal and his parents when he was a minor.
The record label insists that several documents were altered or presented irregularly, and that is why it resorted to criminal proceedings under the argument of alleged falsification. For them, the case is a defense of their artistic heritage; For Nodal, it is an attempt to stop his creative independence and his transition towards a model where he controls his work and his royalties.
In civil proceedings, the conflict is profound: percentages, contractual terms, economic rights, digital authorizations and the possibility that some agreements may be declared null and void if they do not comply with legal requirements are discussed. The calligraphic expert reports have been the technical axis of the matter, since it is up to them to confirm whether or not there was documentary manipulation. Meanwhile, Nodal has maintained the position that the label cannot continue exploiting recordings that he considers released since his departure.
After a marathon 17-hour hearing at the Federal Criminal Justice Center, the result was decisive for the immediate course of the case: neither Christian Nodal nor his parents were linked to the process.
The judge considered that the evidence presented was not sufficient to sustain a criminal charge for falsification, which deflated Universal’s attempt to keep that avenue open.
Nodal left without precautionary measures, surrounded by a media siege that had been waiting for him since dawn. However, the resolution does not close the dispute: the criminal procedure was stopped, but the civil battle is still alive and it will be there that it will be determined who has the right to what, how much corresponds to each party and how the profits from a catalog that has generated millions will be distributed.
Yesterday’s chapter temporarily clears up the judicial pressure on Nodal, but does not guarantee victory; it only confirms that this confrontation is far from over.
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