Aguilera's former manager responds to lawsuit

Former Christina Aguilera manager Steven Kurtz has responded to claims made in a lawsuit the singer filed against him last week. Kurtz spoke with SoundSpike on Wednesday (10/18) and issued a written statement to clarify information contained in reports about the suit.

''I am very disappointed that Christina would wrongfully attempt to terminate our management contract when, during its term and under my management, she was awarded the Grammy for Best New Artist, each of her singles and albums achieved the number one position on the Billboard charts, she sold over 10 million records and had a successful headlining tour,'' said Kurtz in the prepared statement.

Aguilera filed a lawsuit against Kurtz and his Marquee Management firm last Friday (10/13), in which she reportedly claims that Kurtz charged her money he was not entitled to under the terms of the pair's management agreement. The suit also reportedly claims that Kurtz used "undue" influence to get Aguilera to sign the management agreement in March 1999.

Kurtz, in a phone interview, also refuted information contained in SoundSpike's original report on the lawsuit, which--based on previously published information--indicated that Aguilera was 17 when she signed the management agreement with Kurtz.

"The way the complaint is written is very misleading, so I wouldn't be surprised if someone was misled to believe that … she was 17 [when she signed the management agreement]," said Kurtz. He explained that the singer was born on Dec. 18, 1980, and was therefore 18 at the time she signed the agreement. "I worked with her for a couple of years, I waited until she was of majority [age and] got her own counsel, and then I negotiated a standard management agreement."

Kurtz added in his prepared statement that he hopes that "Christina will question the motives of those persons who have encouraged her to pursue this baseless litigation and isolated her from those who have contributed to her success. However, if Christina chooses to ignore the truth and her own better instincts, and continues to dishonor my years of hard work and devotion to her very rewarding and successful career, I am ready, willing and able to protect my rights and to seek redress for any damage to my professional reputation.

"In the interim, I continue to wish for Christina the nearly unparalleled critical, popular and financial success she has achieved during the time that I have represented her."

Aguilera's lawyer could not be reached for comment.