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Legal
XL settles with Contra girl
By CMU Editorial | Published on Tuesday 16 August 2011
Model Ann Kirsten Kennis, who appeared on the cover of Vampire Weekend’s album ‘Contra’, has settled her legal dispute with the band and their label XL Recordings.
As previously reported, XL licensed the iconic photo from photographer Tod Brody, who claimed to have taken it in the early 1980s. But Kennis claimed that Brody hadn’t taken the photo, that it was a personal polaroid taken by her mother which Brody had taken from her, and that he had forged her signature on a release form that seemed to give her permission for the snap to be used commercially.
Kennis sued Vampire Weekend, XL and Brody even though the band and their label had acted in good faith when securing the rights to use the photo from the photographer. But it seems that the model has now reached a settlement with the band and their label, and as a result her lawsuit has been dismissed by the LA courts.
However, a related lawsuit continues to go through the motions. Vampire Weekend and XL have subsequently sued Brody, claiming he is liable for any damages and costs they incurred as a result of the Kennis lawsuit.
