Fashion designer Nusi Quero claims he hasn’t received full payment for working on material for Beyoncé’s latest album, Renaissance.
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In a since-deleted Instagram post, captured by Complex, Quero claimed outstanding payments for his work, including his work for the album’s cover art. He specifically accused Marni Senofonte, Beyoncé’s stylist, of the lack of appropriate compensation.
“As a stylist for B, I really expected the best from you and your team,” Quero wrote, targeting Senofonte, in the post. “But since you won’t respond to texts and emails. I supposed this is the final venue I can utilize before legal means to settle your outstanding balances, that you’ve owed me and my collaborator for about 3 months.”
The post described the projects in question including the “album cover piece,” a second ensemble for the cover, styling services for a music video, and “a red custom 3D printed top I miraculously procured last miniature for a video shoot.” He continued, saying the stylist had “paid a 50 percent deposit to me for one of the three jobs” but that did not include the work for the Renaissance cover.
Beyonce’s team responded to the allegations with a statement denying the claims.
“It is deeply troubling that designer Nusi Quero has posted damaging statements about Marni Senofonte regarding non-payments for work completed. In fact, he was paid for his work, and there is proof of all payments made,” the star’s representatives said in a statement to ET Online.
“We have been in communication with his team and there were three payments made to him,” the statement continued. “The first payment was made on May 9, 2022. The second payment, a fifty percent down payment on the agreed cost, was made via wire on July 8, 2022. The third and final payment was returned when he changed his account number. It was returned as an invalid account number based on an error on his part.”
They added, “After persistent and exhausting communication to get the correct information on his account and two unsuccessful wire transfer attempts, a physical check was mailed to him for final payment on September 29, 2022.”
The designer took to Instagram once again, sharing a photo of a check and writing, “Partial payment of unpaid invoices due to Nusi Quero for services rendered in June/July 2022. Received October 14, 2022. your harassment of me is disgusting, and unwarranted, and doesn’t phase me. you don’t even know what you’re mad at. My art is worth the money i ask for it.”
The post continued, “You’re acting like a press release from a billion-dollar company with a PR firm and legal team on a gossip rag like Page Six is the truth. get fucking real. they didn’t even reach out to me for comment like it says they did.”
Before signing off with love, the artist concluded with “you’re trying to tear my name down for what? there are real enemies you should be firing at. i literally am just trying to make beautiful things. i can’t do that without the money i’m owed for it.”
This claim comes only a week after English pop group Right Said Fred accused the megastar of not asking for permission to use their 1991 hit “I’m Too Sexy” in her track “Alien Superstar” on the album.
The artist’s team released a statement in response to the “I’m Too Sexy” claim, saying “The comments made by Right Said Fred stating that Beyonce used “I’m Too Sexy” in “Alien Superstar” without permission are erroneous and incredibly disparaging. Permission was not only granted for its use, but they publicly spoke of their gratitude for being on the album.”
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