Miley Cyrus has pushed back against allegations of copyright infringement surrounding her 2023 smash hit Flowers. The 30-year-old pop sensation is fighting a lawsuit filed by Tempo Music Investments, a partial copyright holder of Bruno Mars’ 2013 track When I Was Your Man.
The lawsuit, filed on September 16, accuses Cyrus of copying “numerous melodic, harmonic, and lyrical elements” from Mars’ song. It claims that the “opening vocal line from the chorus of Flowers begins and ends on the same chords as the opening vocal line in the verse of When I Was Your Man.”
Tempo Music Investments, which acquired its stake in the song’s rights through co-writer Philip Lawrence’s catalog, has no affiliations with the track’s other co-writers, Ari Levine and Andrew Wyatt. Despite this, Tempo alleges that the similarities between the two songs amount to copyright infringement and has requested that Cyrus and her team cease reproduction, distribution, and public performances of Flowers. The company is also seeking unspecified damages.
In response, Cyrus’ legal team has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that Tempo lacks the legal authority to file such a claim. “Only owners of exclusive rights may sue for copyright infringement,” her attorneys stated in court documents. “An assignee of only one co-author lacks exclusive rights and, therefore, also lacks standing to sue for infringement.”
Cyrus has denied the claims and remains steadfast in her defense of Flowers, which has earned critical praise and commercial success since its release. The song, widely interpreted as a post-breakup anthem, topped charts globally and resonated with fans for its empowering message and catchy melody.
The lawsuit has sparked debate within the music industry about copyright issues, particularly when it comes to shared ownership of a song’s rights. For now, Cyrus continues to stand by the originality of her music, while the legal dispute unfolds.
