In a recent ruling, a federal judge has dismissed the claims of trademark infringement by indie band The Twigs against singer FKA Twigs (real name Tahliah Barnett). Made up of twin singer-songwriters Laura and Linda Good, The Twigs first sued Barnett in April of 2014 on the grounds that she was infringing on their trademark of the name “Twigs” (the name that Barnett went by at the beginning of her music career), which has been in place since 1996. After seeking an injunction in order to stop one of Barnett’s concerts in Los Angeles and ultimately being denied, the sisters chose to drop the lawsuit.
However, the issue resurfaced in 2024 when The Twigs issued a cease-and-desist letter to Barnett, who had applied for a trademark of her own, in order to continue to prevent her from using the name “Twigs” in any capacity. Barnett responded by filing a lawsuit against the band, claiming that they had known about her stage name since 2013, when she first messaged them about using the name going forward. The Twigs responded to the lawsuit by countersuing Barnett, claiming that she was using her fame to “weaken, if not destroy” the band’s trademark. This litigation came to a head on Tuesday, August 18, when U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff ruled that the Twigs’ claims of trademark infringement, which are at least a decade old, are outdated under the doctrine of laches, which, according to Billboard, “prohibits the unreasonable delay of legal action.” This ruling and The Twigs’ inability to sue on these grounds means that Barnett has won the first round of this legal battle.
FKA Twigs released her fourth studio album EUSEXUA Afterglow in November of last year and released the single “On Your Mind” featuring Lil Yachty on June 19, 2026.
Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat
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