Lizzo Sued Over Song Snippet Referencing Sydney Sweeney

Lizzo faces a copyright infringement lawsuit over an unreleased song snippet that referenced actress Sydney Sweeney, marking another legal challenge for the Grammy-winning artist.

As per Rolling Stone, a Georgia-based Revocable Trust called the GRC Trust filed the complaint, alleging that Lizzo infringed upon their copyright for a song titled “Win or Lose (We Tried)” when she shared a preview of “I’m Goin’ in Till October” on Instagram and TikTok in August.

The brief snippet featured Lizzo rapping the line “Bitch, I got good jeans like I’m Sydney,” referencing Sweeney during controversy surrounding the actress’s denim campaign with American Eagle.

Despite the song never receiving an official commercial release, GRC Trust claims they have “suffered damages” and that both Lizzo and co-defendant Atlantic Records “have obtained profits they would not have realised but for their infringement of GRC’s rights.” The trust alleges that the unreleased song “copied and exploited” their copyrighted material through incorporating “instrumental and vocal elements” of their composition.

Representatives for Lizzo responded with surprise at the legal action, stating: “We are surprised that The GRC Trust filed this lawsuit. To be clear, the song has never been commercially released or monetised, and no decision has been made at this time regarding any future commercial release of the song.”

The lawsuit documents indicate that attempts to negotiate between the parties “reached an impasse,” prompting GRC Trust to pursue formal legal action. The complaint specifically notes that “representatives for Lizzo acknowledge” the incorporation of copyrighted elements from their original composition.

The timing of the snippet’s release coincided with widespread discussion about Sweeney following her American Eagle collaboration. However, when Lizzo subsequently released the extended edition of her EP My Face Hurts From Smiling, retitled My Face Still Hurts From Smiling, the completed version of “I’m Goin’ in Till October” was notably absent from the nine additional tracks included.

This legal challenge represents another copyright dispute for the artist, who previously encountered similar issues in 2019 over her hit single “Truth Hurts”. That case involved plagiarism claims from songwriters, which Lizzo countered with her own lawsuit. The involved parties eventually reached a settlement agreement in 2022 after the countersuit was dismissed.