The 'Messy' credit clash

The English artist Lola Young has risen to fame with her viral hit “Messy”. She’s been making headlines recently, facing challenges that often accompany rapid success.

The singer has initiated legal action against one of the producers of “Messy”: US producer and songwriter Carter Lang, known for working with stars like Justin Bieber, Post Malone, and Doja Cat.

Lola, alongside Sony Music Publishing, is reportedly challenging Carter’s claim to writing credits on four of her songs, including “Messy”. While he is credited as a producer on the track, this raises an important question: how can a producer be sued over songwriting credits for a song they helped produce?

The answer lies in the different elements of a song that are protected by copyright: the music, the lyrics, and the recording. So, although Carter may have contributed to the production, that doesn’t mean he has rights in the lyrics. This distinction is at the heart of Lola and Sony’s legal argument.

In the UK, copyright protection begins once a work is fixed in a tangible form, such as being written or recorded. No registration is required, but evidence of when the work was created can be crucial in disputes over originality or authorship. That kind of proof (or its absence) will likely play a key role in this case.

Who knew making music could get so messy?

Singer Lola Young has taken legal action against one of the producers of her hit single Messy in a dispute over songwriting credits.

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