Olivia Dean Sued for Plagiarism over Bill Withers Classic

English singer Olivia Dean is facing a copyright lawsuit over her track I've Seen It. The Guardian and Music Business Worldwide both report that Mattie Music Group filed the legal action on Thursday in United States federal court in Los Angeles. The suit alleges that Dean plagiarized the 1981 song Just the Two of Us, which was co-written and performed by Bill Withers. [1][2]

Music Business Worldwide reported that the complaint targets Dean as well as Universal Music Group, Capitol Records, Sony's publishing arm, and Kobalt. Representatives for Mattie Music Group reached what they called an obvious and inescapable conclusion that Dean's song copied the track. The Guardian noted that the plaintiff claims I've Seen It stole substantial aspects of the original composition. [1][2]

Stereogum reported that Just the Two of Us was recorded as a collaboration between Withers and saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. on the album Winelight, with Withers co-writing the track alongside Ralph MacDonald and William Salter. Music Business Worldwide stated that Mattie Music Group operates under the name Bleunig Music, one of three publishers credited on the song. Neither of the other two publishers joined the lawsuit. Dean has won a Grammy Award and four Brit Awards. [1][2][4][9]