Singer-songwriter Michael Franti has parted ways with longtime management company Activist Artist Management, multiple sources have confirmed to Billboard. Franti, who had been a client of Activist founding partner Matt Maher and day-to-day manager Caitlin Stone for more than a decade, separated from the firm following allegations of sexual abuse against Franti by Spanish-American singer Victoria Canal.
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Franti has denied the allegations, but did admit to engaging in a long-running affair with Stone without his wife’s knowledge. Shortly after making the admission, his Soulshine at Sea music cruise — organized by Norwegian Cruise Line with promoter Sixthman and scheduled to set sail in November — was canceled after several supporting acts, including Dispatch, Maggie Rose, Liz Vice, and Tank and the Bangas, announced they were dropping off the voyage.
Canal accused Franti of being a “loving, charismatic, and principled” friend and supporter in public but controlling and abusive in private, alleging that he touched and photographed her without her consent and gradually cut her off from the people around her.
“This is something I’ve never spoken about publicly, and have been holding for eight years now — it has plagued my body, spirit, and mind, in subliminal and overt ways, for my entire 20s,” Canal wrote.
Canal did not name Franti in her post, although Franti did speak to the allegations in his own statement, writing, “I’m aware of the recent posts this artist made about our relationship, and while I support her need to express herself publicly, the relationship was completely consensual, based on mutual feelings and attraction,” he wrote. “I vehemently dispute any version of the story that says otherwise.”
Representatives for Activist Artist Management declined to comment for this story.
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