Skip to Search Skip to Live Player Skip to Content Skip to Footer

Taylor Swift Sued For $1 Million Over ‘Lover’ Album Artwork and Book

Author Laila Abuelhawa
Taylor Swift attends the world premiere of "Cats" at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center on December 16, 2019 in New York City.

Taylor Swift is facing another lawsuit. This one alleges that she ripped off a book that accompanied her 2019 Lover album from a self-published book of poems under the same name.

In a complaint filed in a Tennessee federal court on Tuesday (August 23), author Teresa La Dart claimed that “design and textual elements” from her 2010 book Lover were copied into Swift’s book. According to legal documents, obtained by E! News, La Dart’s lawyers claim that Swift’s book infringes La Dart’s copyrights. La Dart says that Swift owes the author an “excess of one million dollars” in damages.

La Dart claims the books are “substantially the same format of a recollection of past years memorialized in a combination of written and pictorial components.” The alleged similarities include covers that both feature “pastel pinks and blues,” as well as an image of the author “photographed in a downward pose.” In the complaint, La Dart adds that the inner book design, specifically the “interspersed photographs and writings,” also infringed her copyrights.

See a side-by-side comparison of the books below:

Swift has been dealing with multiple lawsuits as of late. One of them accuses of the singer of plagiarizing the lyrics for 3LW’s “Playas Gon’ Play.” Songwriters Sean Hall and Nathan Butler alleged that Swift stole the lyrics “Playas gon’ play / And haters, they gon’ hate” lines from the 2001 song to use in “Shake It Off:” “‘Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play / And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.”

However, Swift claims that she didn’t even know the song existed saying, “The first time I ever heard the song was after this claim was made.” The “Look What You Made Me Do” singer denied stealing any lyrical content, using childhood stories to support her point. “I recall hearing phrases about players play and haters hate stated together by other children while attending school in Wyomissing Hills, and in high school in Hendersonville,” Swift said.

She argued that these popular phrases had inspired lyrics for the song, pointing out that it was unrealistic for people to claim ownership of sayings that are universal in society. “I also recall hearing similar player and hater phrases in many songs, films and other works prior to ‘Shake it Off,’” she said.

Taylor Swift Slams Dude Who Accuses Her Of Not Writing Her Own Music

Damon Albarn, best known for being the co-founder, lead vocalist, instrumentalist and primary songwriter of the cartoon band Gorillaz, told the Los Angeles Times in a new interview his opinions on today’s chart-topping artists.

Interviewer Mikael Wood asked Albarn, 53, if he thinks “a lot of modern musicians are relying on sound and attitude,” to which he replied shortly, “Name me someone who’s not.” In an attempt to give an example of “who’s not,” Wood offered Taylor Swift as an “excellent songwriter” even though she may not have been Albarn’s “taste.” Albarn incorrectly said, “She doesn’t write her own songs.”

When told that Swift does write her own music and co-writes some of them, Albarn was quick to shut it down. “That doesn’t count. I know what co-writing is,” the “Feel Good Inc.” singer explained. “Co-writing is very different to writing. I’m not hating on anybody, I’m just saying there’s a big difference between a songwriter and a songwriter who co-writes. Doesn’t mean that the outcome can’t be really great. And some of the greatest singers — I mean, Ella Fitzgerald never wrote a song in her life. When I sing, I have to close my eyes and just be in there. I suppose I’m a traditionalist in that sense.” Albarn is also in a band called Blur, whose most well-known song is “Song 2.”

There is at least one modern pop star who Albarn really respects. “A really interesting songwriter is Billie Eilish and her brother,” Albarn continued. “I’m more attracted to that than to Taylor Swift. It’s just darker — less endlessly upbeat. Way more minor and odd. I think she’s exceptional.”

Swift, 32, caught wind of the interview on Twitter and called out the British musician. “@DamonAlbarn I was such a big fan of yours until I saw this. I write ALL of my own songs. Your hot take is completely false and SO damaging,” Swift wrote. “You don’t have to like my songs but it’s really f—ed up to try and discredit my writing. WOW.”

“PS I wrote this tweet all by myself in case you were wondering -_-,” Swift added.

See what the Swifties had to say below.

  • I Feel Myself Getting Stronger

  • Be Loud, Taylor

  • F--- The Patriarchy

  • They're Just Jealous Bestie

  • You're Doing Amazing Sweetie

  • He's Over I Fear

  • Had To Check Twice

  • It Was Clickbait

    Albarn took to Twitter to reply to Taylor’s clapback, alleging his words were used for “clickbait.”

Laila Abuelhawa is the Top 40 and Hip-Hop pop culture writer for Beasley Media Group. Being with the company for over three years, Laila's fierce and fabulous red-carpet rankings have earned her a feature on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!' Her favorite stories are those surrounding the latest in celebrity fashion, television and film rankings, and how the world reacts to major celebrity news. With a background in journalism, Laila's stories ensure accuracy and offer background information on stars that you wouldn't have otherwise known. She prides herself in covering stories that inform the public about what is currently happening and what is to come in the ever-changing, ever-evolving media landscape.

Get The Kiss & Tell Newsletter Delivered To Your Inbox

Stay up to date on the latest from your favorite artists, Fayetteville happenings, exclusive giveaways, and more.

*
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.
Author Laila Abuelhawa
Category:
Tags:
,

More Music

Load More