Singer takes tax dispute to Supreme Court

A Danish pop star has taken her quest to get a full tax deduction for clothes and make-up purchased for on-stage performances to the Supreme Court. Lina Rafn, who sings with the band Infernal and won international notoriety for her vocals on Paw’s Paris to Berlin song, is this week at the country’s highest court to contest a previous ruling.

The Danish Federation of Musicians, which is acting on behalf of the former Danish X-Factor judge, is demanding full tax deductions for Rafn’s clothes, make-up and hairdressing expenses when she is performing on stage or appearing in the media. The Danish Tax Authority, however, won its case at the Eastern High Court in 2007, as they said the clothes and cosmetics could also be used when Rafn was not working.

The Danish Federation of Musicians agreed to take on the case in the hope of setting a precedent on the tax rights of performing artists. According to Politiken, the lawsuit harks back to 2001, when Rafn was only awarded DKK 5,000 (USD 858) after spending DKK 22,000 (USD 3,777) on clothes and products for a show.

“The case involves the type of documentation that the authorities can require of artists who have costs over and above what is normal,” said Federation Counsel Christian Falk Hansen in the Politiken report.