Singer Dua Lipa is facing a multi-million dollar copyright claim over the use of a recording in her hit single Levitating.
The legal action was filed by musician Bosko Kante, who claims the star used a recording made with his talk box in remixes of the song without permission. The talk box is a wearable device that makes vocal vibrations sound like musical instruments.
Dua Lipa and her label Warner Music Group have not responded to the claims. Levitating is one of Dua Lipa's most popular tracks from her 2020 album Future Nostalgia.
The legal action, which was filed in Los Angeles on Monday, claims Bosko is entitled to more than $20m (£15.6m). It says British-Albanian star Dua Lipa had permission to use the talk box on the original recording but not on any remixes, Reuters reported.
It alleges the 27-year-old reused the work without permission on further releases, including The Blessed Madonna remix, which featured Madonna and Missy Elliott, another remix featuring DaBaby and a performance by Dua Lipa at the American Music Awards.
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Bosko is yet to comment publicly on his claim, however Billboard reports his lawyers say he has made “numerous attempts” to resolve the matter, which they call a “blatant infringement” of his copyright.
Lawyers maintain Bosko has taken legal action because the singer and her label had shown “unwillingness to co-operate or accept responsibility”.
It is not the first time Dua Lipa, who is currently in the charts with her song Dance the Night Away, has faced copyright claims over Levitating.
According to Reuters, a court complaint from reggae group Artikal Sound System was dismissed in June – and a separate claim, by songwriters Sandy Linzer and L. Russell Brown, continues. In 2021, she was also sued over claims she put a paparazzi photo of herself on Instagram without permission
— CutC by bbc.com
