Words by Roman White
Music executive for Universal Music Group and judge on The Four: Battle for Stardom Charlie Walk, is being investigated by the Universal for allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct. Former UMG employee and founder of Life Lab Hermosa Beach, Tristan Coopersmith wrote an open letter to Walk on the Life Lab HB website addressing her private experiences with Walk, before he became the President of Republic Records.
A Spokesperson for Universal Music Group told Billboard in a statement, “While it appears this blog post relates to the period prior to Mr. Walk’s appointment to his position at Republic Records, we take the allegations very seriously and intend to conduct a full and complete review of this matter.”
“For a year I shuddered at the idea of being called into your office, where you would stealthily close the door and make lewd comments about my body and share your fantasies of having sex with me,” said Coopersmith in the open letter. The former Sony Music employee goes on to detail the ups and downs of her experiences with Walk. According to Coopersmith, Walk introduced her to high powered music executives like Lyor Cohen and “fallen hero” Russell Simmons. But with these amazing, motivational experiences came frightful ones for the then 27-year-old.
Coopersmith details situations in which Walk would instant message her lewd, sexual remarks, touch her during dinners with other music executives, and even sometimes while Walk’s wife was present went as far as cornering her in his bedroom and making sexual advances, never getting too far with her to what she credits her height advantage over Walk.
Although Coopersmith had ambitions of being a “top 30 under 30” music executive, she could no longer accept the harassment she received from Walk and with “hush money,” moved to LA and started over.
Sony Music Group and Charlie Walk have not yet responded to these new allegations.
