Former Pixies bassist Paz Lenchantin is facing controversy just as she prepares to release her solo album Triste. Her lead single, “Hang Tough,” has been removed from major streaming platforms following allegations of plagiarism. Marking Lenchantin’s first solo release in years, the song was originally met with excitement from fans until listeners noticed similarities to a well-known Brazilian classic.
In August, fans on Reddit and YouTube began pointing out that “Hang Tough” allegedly resembled “Cálice,” 1973 protest song by Chico Buarque and Gilberto Gil. The artists themselves reportedly took notice and filed a formal notice accusing Lenchantin of allegedly plagiarizing their composition, as first reported by the Brazilian newspaper Folha de S. Paulo. According to Pitchfork, Lenchantin declined to comment through a representative when asked about the issue.
Since then, “Hang Tough” has been removed from streaming services, and the album’s tracklist now shows a different song title in its place. Despite the controversy, Lenchantin’s label Hideous Human still plans to release Triste on October 17. The incident has sparked renewed debate about the line between inspiration and imitation in contemporary music.
Leave a Comment