According to a lawsuit filed by reggae band Artikal Sound System against Dua Lipa, it is “highly unlikely” that her 2020 song “Levitating” was independently created. The Florida band claims that the track copies their 2017 song “Live Your Life,” and now they’re taking her to court for royalties.
The lawsuit, which was first reported by TMZ, accuses Dua Lipa of copyright infringement as the band hopes to win any profits made from the track along with damages. The only odd thing is the suit doesn’t give real details about what was stolen.
Instead, the band claims Dua Lipa had access to “Live Your Life” and that it’s “highly unlikely that ‘Levitating’ was created independently.”
“Levitating” first appeared in March 2020 on Dua Lipa’s second album Future Nostalgia. The album was hailed by critics and publications, with NME calling it “powerful pop perfection from a star unafraid to speak her mind.”
After the track’s release, several remixes were made available. All the buzz led to a version featuring DaBaby that was released with an accompanying music video. The attention the track garnered eventually made its way to Artikal Sound System, who clearly didn’t take kindly to what they feel was blatant plagiarism.
Artikal Sound System was first formed in Florida in 2012 and has garnered a loyal following of fans. Starting as a duo, the band is now a five-piece and has released several albums.
A visit to their website tells fans what they hope to achieve with their music, “What you hear is the sound of friendship, hard work, imagination and the hope to spread their message of love and the importance of having a good time.” I guess the good times only go so far.
Dua Lipa made more headlines last month when she decided to part ways with her management company. She broke the shocking news just a few saying into her Future Nostalgia support tour.