Tattoo Artist Claims Sleep Token’s Management Took Down Her Instagram Account

Los Angeles, CA — UK and Canadian tattoo artist InkItEJ, whose real name is Emily-Jayne, claims that her Instagram account was taken down by the band Sleep Token, their management, and RCA Records. This incident follows a rise in reports from fans about increasing restrictions on fan art and tattoos since the band’s signing with RCA Records in 2023.

Emily-Jayne stated that the suspension of her account occurred after she posted tattoos and flash designs inspired by Sleep Token. In a post on her new business account, she expressed her frustration: “My account @inkitej that I’ve worked hard to build a clientele and platform on has been wrongfully taken down by Sleep Token’s team ‘RCA’ or Rico’s Management/Entertainment for creating Sleep Token inspired tattoos and flash sheets.”

Many followers have speculated that Rico Management, which manages Sleep Token’s affairs through KillLynx LLC, is responsible for a trend of takedowns against small tattoo artists. This has ignited conversations about Instagram’s automated copyright enforcement measures, which critics argue unfairly target independent creators.

In her statement, Emily-Jayne mentioned, “I’ve been tattooing for three years and was building a clientele predominantly surrounding music-related inspired tattoos in both the United Kingdom and Canada. I worry that this abuse of power will become worse and more widespread, attacking smaller businesses and creativity.” She has vowed to continue creating music-related tattoo designs, despite the setback.

As the controversy unfolds, neither Sleep Token, RCA Records, nor Rico Management have released statements addressing the issue. The band is scheduled to conclude their North American tour tonight at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.