Lizzo Sued Over Song Snippet Referencing Sydney Sweeney Controversy

A snippet of an unreleased Lizzo song is at the center of a recently filed copyright infringement lawsuit. In the complaint reviewed by Rolling Stone, a Georgia-based Revocable Trust called the GRC Trust alleges that the musician infringed upon their copyright for a song titled “Win or Lose (We Tried)” when she previewed “I’m Goin’ in Till October” on Instagram and TikTok in August.

Despite the song not being officially released, GRC Trust claims it has “suffered damages” and that Lizzo, as well as co-plaintiffs Atlantic Records, “have obtained profits they would not have realized but for their infringement of GRC’s rights.”

Representatives for Lizzo did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone‘s request for comment. In a statement to the BBC, a spokesperson for the singer said, “We are surprised that The GRC Trust filed this lawsuit. To be clear, the song has never been commercially released or monetized, and no decision has been made at this time regarding any future commercial release of the song.”

“I’m Goin’ in Till October” was previewed in early August while controversy swelled around Sydney Sweeney following her denim campaign with American Eagle. In the song, Lizzo name-checked the actress, rapping, “Bitch, I got good jeans like I’m Sydney.”

A few weeks after the snippet was shared, Lizzo released the extended edition of her EP My Face Hurts From Smiling, titled My Face Still Hurts From Smiling. The expansion included nine new tracks, but a completed version of “I’m Goin’ in Till October” did not appear on the project.

In the complaint, GRC states that Lizzo “copied and exploited” their copyrighted material, and alleges that attempts to negotiate with the musician and her label “reached an impasse,” which led to their filing of the suit. “The Infringing Work incorporates, interpolates, and samples instrumental and vocal elements of the Composition,” the document reads. “Representatives for Lizzo acknowledge the same.”

Lizzo previously found herself embroiled in a legal battle over her music in 2019 when she faced a plagiarism claim over her hit single “Truth Hurts.” She later countersued the songwriters who filed the complaint, though that was later dismissed. The involved parties reached a settlement in 2022.