Ellie Goulding Is Suing Her Ex-Managers Over Conflict of Interest with Live Nation

Ellie Goulding has filed a lawsuit against her former managers Ben Mawson and Ed Millett of TaP Management, alleging they failed to disclose business ties between the management company and Live Nation Entertainment that created a conflict of interest while representing her.

According to the lawsuit, Live Nation acquired a majority stake in TaP’s parent company, HNOE, in 2015 before completing its acquisition in 2019. Goulding claims she was not properly informed about that relationship while Mawson and Millett were managing her career.

The singer was represented by the pair from 2018 to 2025, during which they reportedly received a 20% commission on her earnings. Her complaint argues that their responsibilities connected to Live Nation conflicted with their duty to pursue the most advantageous commercial opportunities on her behalf.

Goulding alleges that her managers were subject to obligations that prevented them from encouraging artists under their management to reduce or end business with Live Nation or its affiliated companies. She also claims both managers reported directly to a Live Nation executive.

According to the complaint, those arrangements prevented Mawson and Millett from securing the best available commercial terms with whichever promoter, merchandiser or other business partner would have been most advantageous for Goulding.

During the years covered by the lawsuit, Goulding entered into deals involving touring, merchandise and a documentary with Live Nation-related businesses. She is seeking unspecified compensation and damages over alleged breaches of fiduciary duty, along with other relief.

Live Nation itself is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Mawson and Millett had not provided comments to the publications reporting on the case.

TaP is part of Live Nation’s broader artist management business. According to Live Nation’s 2025 annual filing cited in reporting on the lawsuit, the company represented approximately 360 artists through its management operations.

Goulding has since changed representation. She returned to former manager Sarah Stennett and signed with WME for touring, while preparing to release her sixth studio album, I Know Too Much, in September.

The dispute now centers on whether the ownership relationship between TaP and Live Nation was properly disclosed and whether those ties affected the way Goulding’s business opportunities were handled during her time with the management company.