On her album track ‘I’ve Seen,’ Olivia Dean has been accused of copying Bill Withers‘ hit song ‘Just the Two of Us.’
In a Los Angeles federal court, the publisher behind the late singer’s back catalogue, Mattie Music Group has filed a copyright infringement complaint, insisting that the similarities between Dean’s song – taken from her 2025 album The Art of Loving – and Withers’ 1981 Grammy-winning R&B hit are “obvious and inescapable.”
Arguing that a musicologist found “substantial similarities” and copying of a “distinctively protectable melody” when reviewing the songs. the lawsuit states “The number, character, and arrangement of the shared musical features are so striking that they support an inference that the similarities did not result from coincidence, independent creation, or reliance on common musical elements.”
Rather than listing the UK singer and her co-writers Bastian Langebaek and Max Wolfgang as individuals, the lawsuit names Dean’s record label Capitol Records, its parent company Universal Music Group, and Dean’s publishing companies as the defendants.
Despite Mattie Music Group representatives notifying the defendants of the alleged infringement in August, they continued to distribute and license the song without updating the credits. They want damages to be decided by a jury trial.
Featuring hit songs ‘Man I Need’ and ‘So Easy (To Fall in Love), ‘I’ve Seen It’ is the last song on Dean’s second full length collection, voted 2026’s Album of the Year at the BRIT and MOBO Awards.
Having passed away at the age of 81, Bill Withers was also known for such hit songs as ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ and ‘Lean on Me.’
Keep up with the latest trending music news by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Author: Saul Goode
Photo: Unknown Author