Home / Arts and Entertainment / Sleep Token's Label Accused of Abusing Power, Shutting Down Tattoo Artist's Instagram
Sleep Token's Label Accused of Abusing Power, Shutting Down Tattoo Artist's Instagram
11 Oct
Summary
- Tattoo artist's Instagram account shut down by Sleep Token's label and management
- Designs were inspired by the band but considered copyright infringement
- Fans concerned this could set a precedent of labels attacking smaller businesses
As of October 12th, 2025, a tattoo artist from Sheffield, England, has found herself at the center of a copyright dispute with the record label and management firm of the band Sleep Token. The artist, Emily-Jane, known as Inkitej, had built a following on Instagram by designing tattoos for Sleep Token fans based on their own ideas. However, this week her account was abruptly shut down after the band's team at RCA Records and Rico Management intervened.
Inkitej claims her designs were heavily inspired by Sleep Token but were her own original creations, and she is worried this "abuse of power" could set a dangerous precedent. She notes that other fan accounts and smaller businesses have faced similar crackdowns, with labels threatening cease and desist orders. Inkitej says she will be more cautious about posting certain designs, but insists she won't stop her work.
Fans have expressed outrage over the situation, with one even launching a petition calling for Rico Management to ease up on their enforcement. The incident has sparked concerns that labels are increasingly targeting fan-made content and smaller creative ventures in the name of copyright protection.
