Current:Home > ContactDua Lipa will face lawsuit from two songwriters who claim she copied "Levitating" -Wealth Axis Pro
Dua Lipa will face lawsuit from two songwriters who claim she copied "Levitating"
View
Date:2025-04-25 22:18:20
Dua Lipa and two songwriters who worked on her single "Levitating" are being sued by two songwriters who claim the song rips off their 1979 disco song "Wiggle and Giggle All Night (Wiggle)." A judge in New York ruled this week it will go forward.
L. Russell Brown and Sandy Linzer are suing Dua Lipa, 27, and songwriters Sarah Hudson and Stephen Kozmeniuk, who all claim copyright of "Levitating," one of the singles off Dua Lipa's 2020 album of the same name.
Brown also sued over the song in 1980, claiming the song "Don Diablo," recorded by Miguel Bose, infringed on "Wiggle," which was recorded by Cory Daye. He won the copyright suit and now claims "Levitating" resembles both "Wiggle" and "Don Diablo."
Brown and Linzer claim in the suit that the defendants "were inspired by past musical eras in composing the music on 'Future Nostalgia,'" and that after noticing another song on the album resemble a 1987 disco song, the defendants credited the original songwriters.
U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla ruled that the plaintiffs proved "Wiggle" and "Levitating" were "strikingly similar," which is enough evidence to move the suit forward, even though the defendants filed a motion to dismiss it last month.
"Like 'Wiggle' and 'Don Diablo,' 'Levitating' begins with a 'signature melody' that Plaintiffs claim Defendants copied," Failla's opinion reads. "Levitating also allegedly copies a repetitive rhythm from the prior works."
According to court documents, the plaintiffs claim the allegedly copied melody occurs six times in "Levitating" – about 1/3 of the song – and the rhythm repeats 16 times.
The song was the topic of another copyright suit filed in Los Angeles. Florida reggae group Artikal Sound System claimed "Levitating" copied one of their songs, but a judge dismissed their case in June, according to Reuters.
Dua Lipa also released several remixes of the song and musician Bosko Kante says she never got his permission to include his "talk box" recording. A talk box distorts vocals to sound similar to a synthesizer. Kante filed a suit in Los Angeles in July, according to Reuters.
There have been multiple copyright-related lawsuits brought against high-profile artists in recent years, including against Ed Sheeran, who earlier this year won a lawsuit brought against him by one of the songwriters on Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get it On." The lawsuit had alleged Sheeran copied the chord progression for his song "Thinking Out Loud."
"There's four chords that get used in pop songs and there's however many notes, eight notes or whatever, and there's 60,000 songs released every single day," Sheeran told Seth Doane for "CBS Sunday Morning" in May. "And if you just think mathematically the likelihood of this song having the same chords as this song … You are going to get this with every single pop song from now on, like, unless it just stops, which I don't think it does because it's a big money business to take things to court."
CBS News has reached out to the plaintiff's lawyer as well as Warner Records representatives for Dua Lipa.
Caitlin O'KaneCaitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift.
veryGood! (5)
Related
- Opinion: Gianni Infantino, FIFA sell souls and 2034 World Cup for Saudi Arabia's billions
- Two groups appeal the selection of new offshore wind projects for New Jersey, citing cost
- Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson re-signs for four years
- The Best Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Products Every Woman Should Own for an Empowering Glam Look
- Travis Hunter, the 2
- Democrat Min to face Republican Baugh in California’s competitive 47th Congressional District
- Student loan borrowers may save money with IDR recertification extension on repayment plan
- Shooting at park in Salem, Oregon, kills 1 person and wounds 2 others
- Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
- Dinosaur-era fossils of sea lizard with a demon's face and teeth like knives found in Morocco
Ranking
- Krispy Kreme offers a free dozen Grinch green doughnuts: When to get the deal
- Drugs, housing and education among the major bills of Oregon’s whirlwind 35-day legislative session
- 4 friends. 3 deaths, 2 months later: What killed Kansas City Chiefs fans remains a mystery
- 'Cabrini' film tells origin of first US citizen saint: What to know about Mother Cabrini
- Juan Soto praise of Mets' future a tough sight for Yankees, but World Series goal remains
- Fans split over hefty price tag to hear all of Taylor Swift's new music
- How to save money on a rental car this spring break — and traps to avoid
- 'Inside Out 2' trailer adds new emotions from Envy to Embarrassment. See the new cast
Recommendation
Sarah J. Maas books explained: How to read 'ACOTAR,' 'Throne of Glass' in order.
Phone repairs can cost a small fortune. So why do we hurt the devices we love?
Jail phone restricted for Michigan school shooter’s dad after he made threats, authorities say
Uvalde families denounce new report clearing police officers of blame: 'It's disrespectful'
San Francisco names street for Associated Press photographer who captured the iconic Iwo Jima photo
How does daylight saving time work in March? What to know about time changes as we prepare to spring forward.
'Wicked Tuna' star Charlie Griffin found dead with dog in North Carolina's Outer Banks
Jennifer Hudson, Barry Manilow mourn death of 'American Idol' vocal coach Debra Byrd