Tempo Music Investments has sued Miley Cyrus for allegedly copying elements from a Bruno Mars song in her mega hit song, ‘Flowers’. It is important to note that Bruno Mars is not listed as a plaintiff in the legal document and that the lawsuit is solely being driven by Tempo Music Investments, the firm that manages the rights to the song Cyrus is accused of plagiarizing, as well as several other rights of the musician.
What has been leaked from the lawsuit is that the dispute revolves around copyright issues and not necessarily a direct accusation from the artist himself. It is argued that there are "surprising similarities" between Cyrus' track and Mars'.
What is the Bruno Mars song that Miley Cyrus allegedly plagiarized with 'Flowers'?
The lawsuit alleges that the song "Flowers" copies elements from "When I Was Your Man" by Bruno Mars, specifically in the choruses, melody, and chord progressions.
"It is undeniable, based on the combination and quantity of similarities between the two recordings, that 'Flowers' would not exist without 'When I Was Your Man'," is stated in the official documents revealed by People.
In its lawsuit, Tempo Music Investments requests a court order prohibiting the 31-year-old performer, and the record companies Sony Music Publishing and Apple from continuing to commercially exploit the song 'Flowers'. The company also seeks financial compensation for the damages suffered, the exact amount of which will be determined in the legal process.
This is not the first time the former Disney star has faced legal issues over her music. Previously, Cyrus was involved in a controversy over plagiarism in 2018 when composer Michael May sued her for 300 million dollars, accusing her of copying elements of his song 'We Run Things' for her hit 'We Can't Stop'. After nearly two years of litigation, both parties reached a confidential agreement in January 2020, ending the legal dispute.