Olivia Dean accused of copying 1980s classic hit in new lawsuit

Here's what the lawsuit says

More specifically, the British pop star, 27, is accused of copying the melody of the soul classic by Bill Withers.

Dean's song I’ve Seen It, taken from her Brit Award-winning 2025 album The Art of Loving, is the basis for the complaint.

In 1981, Just The Two of Us was a hit for Withers.

The two songs “share musical features” that are “so striking” they cannot have arisen by mere coincidence, as per the publishers of the late singer’s catalogue.

Bill Withers pictured here in 1973, died in March 2020. Credit: Getty Images

What the lawsuit says - revealed

The defendants are Dean's record label Capitol Records, parent company Universal Music Group and her publishing companies, as per the lawsuit.

However, from the singer herself or her co-writers Bastian Langebæk and Max Wolfgang it does not seek damages.

The BBC has seen the legal documents in which Mattie Music Group, that looks after Withers' back catalogue, said it hired a musicologist to review the two songs.

The musicologist concluded that “the works contain substantial similarities” including the “repeated copying” of the melody from Just The Two of Us, according to the documents.

Meanwhile, the publishers say they notified Dean's record label of the potential infringement in August.

Nonetheless, the music was not pulled from distribution.

Matte Music Group would have to prove that Dean and her co-writers had previously heard Withers' original composition, in order to prove plagiarism.

It is also alleged in the lawsuit that the song’s “extraordinary and sustained” commercial success, including “decades of radio play”, would mean the musicians had “reasonable opportunity” to have encountered Just The Two of Us before writing I've Seen It.

Following the lawsuit, the defendants have yet to respond, as per The BBC.

Grammy winner Olivia Dean became Britain's new global star and I’ve Seen It is the closing track of her breakthrough album, released last autumn.

The song has been streamed on Spotify about 246 million times, while Just The Two of Us 948 million times in comparison.