A Florida reggae band has sued Dua Lipa for copyright infringement over her hit single “Levitating.” Artists L. Russell Brown and Sandy Linzer claim that the song allegedly copies their 1979 and 1980 songs “Wiggle And Giggle All That” and “Don Diablo,” respectively.
The songwriters have accused Lipa of ripping off the “signature melody” of “Levitating” from their songs.
“The signature melody is the most listened to and recognizable part of the infringing works and plays a crucial role in their popularity,” the suit says. “Because video creators frequently truncate the already brief snippets of sound on TikTok, the signature melody often comprises fifty percent or more of these viral videos.”
The plaintiffs have also cited interviews where Lipa admits that “she deliberately emulated prior eras” for her Future Nostalgia album. The allegedly copied songs, which were recorded by Cory Daye and Miguel Bosé, can be heard below, alongside Lipa’s “Levitating.”
After naming defendant Warner Music Group and DaBaby, who is featured on Lipa’s track, the suit alleged: “In seeking nostalgic inspiration, defendants copied plaintiffs’ creation without attribution.”
Photo Credit: Kalyn Oyer
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