A US federal judge has dealt pop star Miley Cyrus a legal blow, denying her request to dismiss a copyright lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges that her Grammy-winning hit Flowers copied Bruno Mars’ 2013 track When I Was Your Man.
THE ‘FLOWERS’ LAWSUIT
The ruling means Cyrus must now face the music in court, with the case set to test whether her chart-topper borrowed too heavily from Mars’ emotional ballad.
Tempo Music Investments owns a stake in When I Was Your Man after buying co-writer Philip Lawrence’s catalogue. They filed the lawsuit in September 2024.
The firm claims Flowers “duplicates numerous melodic, harmonic, and lyrical elements” of Mars’ song. This includes chord progressions and bass lines, according to The Daily Mail.
MILEY CYRUS VS TEMPO MUSIC
Cyrus’ legal team argued Tempo lacked standing to sue, as it didn’t own “exclusive rights” to the song.
But Judge Dean D. Pregerson rejected this, stating Tempo inherited Lawrence’s co-ownership rights and could sue without Bruno Mars or other writers.
“Ownership of ‘exclusive rights’ is not to be conflated with ‘exclusive ownership’ of rights,” the judge wrote, according to Billboard.
“Tempo now steps into Lawrence’s shoes and is a co-owner of the exclusive rights of the copyright.”
Tempo’s lawyer Alex Weingarten called the ruling “thrilling but not surprising.”
He added, “our client is looking forward to having this case proceed to be resolved on its merits and is extremely confident in prevailing.”
COPYRIGHT LAW
While the lawsuit centres on US copyright law, South African music lovers will watch closely.
Flowers spent eight weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and won Record of the Year at the 2024 Grammys.
This was a prize Mars’ When I Was Your Man was nominated for a decade earlier, according to Variety.
If Cyrus loses, it could set a precedent for future copyright cases globally, including in South Africa’s thriving music industry.
Rumours swirl that Flowers was inspired by Cyrus’ divorce from actor Liam Hemsworth.
MILEY CYRUS AND ‘WHEN I WAS YOUR MAN’
Sources claim Hemsworth once dedicated When I Was Your Man to Cyrus, and the song played at their wedding.
While Cyrus hasn’t confirmed this publicly, the lawsuit could force her to address the track’s origins in court. This is a prospect insiders say unsettles her more than the legal fight itself.
The case will now proceed to trial, where experts will dissect the similarities between the two songs.
THE LEGAL SHOWDOWN
Tempo seeks unspecified damages and wants Flowers halted from streaming and sales. For Cyrus, the stakes are high: a loss could tarnish her reputation and cost millions in royalties.
“Any fan of Bruno Mars’ When I Was Your Man knows that Miley Cyrus’s Flowers did not achieve all of that success on its own,” Tempo’s lawsuit claims.
MILEY CYRUS TO SHOW UP IN COURT
The judge’s ruling ensures that the claim will get its day in court.
Cyrus’ legal team underestimated Tempo’s rights, and now the pop star must defend Flowers in court.
“Flowers would not exist without When I Was Your Man,”* Tempo’s lawsuit claims. The judge’s ruling means that the claim will soon face the ultimate test.
DO YOU BELIEVE FLOWERS BORROWED TOO HEAVILY FROM WHEN I WAS YOUR MAN?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
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