Dua Lipa has emerged victorious in a legal battle concerning her hit song Levitating, which was previously accused of copying elements from the 1979 disco track Wiggle and Giggle All Night, written by songwriters L. Russell Brown and Sandy Linzer.
The lawsuit claimed that Levitating borrowed parts of the older song, but a judge ruled that while some similarities were present, they were not substantial enough to prove copyright infringement. This decision mirrors a similar case involving Ed Sheeran, furthering a trend in the music industry that makes it harder for songwriters to protect their work.
Jason Brown, a lawyer involved in the case, expressed concerns about the ruling. He believes that the legal focus on technical details, like music notes, overlooks how music is actually experienced by listeners. Brown argues that these disputes should be decided by juries who can listen to the songs and judge whether they are “shockingly similar.”
“The soul of a song doesn’t live in a court brief,” Brown said. “It lives in the sound, the feel, and the performance — and that’s what juries should be allowed to judge.”
With the lawsuit behind her, Dua Lipa’s Levitating remains unaffected, continuing its success as one of her standout tracks.
