From Billboard · Bill Donahue · · 1m 20s
Sam Smith and Normani Must Face Jury Trial
Sam Smith and Normani face jury trial over 'Dancing With a Stranger' copyright dispute after judge refuses to dismiss case.
In brief
Sam Smith and Normani face jury trial over 'Dancing With a Stranger' copyright dispute after judge refuses to dismiss case. Sam Smith and Normani must face jury trial for alleged song theft from Jordan Vincent's 2015 track. Originally reported by Billboard.
Judge Ruling
Judge Wesley L. Hsu refused to dismiss the copyright case claiming Sam Smith and Normani's 2019 hit stole elements from Jordan Vincent's 2015 track.
Independent Creation Defense
Smith and Normani claim they never heard the earlier song and their track sounds similar by coincidence, a legal defense called independent creation.
Jury Trial Decision
The court finds the question of independent creation should be left for the jury to decide, requiring a full trial to resolve the copyright dispute.
Case Background
The case began in March 2022 when Jordan Vincent, Christopher Miranda, and Rosco Banlaoi sued Smith and Normani over alleged song copying.
Legal Challenges
Smith and Normani argued the earlier song lacked copyright due to sampling without licenses, but the judge found the samples were too low volume to hear.
Next Steps
The case will now proceed to a jury trial to determine if Smith and Normani's song was strikingly similar to the earlier track.
The one thing
Sam Smith and Normani must face jury trial for alleged song theft from Jordan Vincent's 2015 track.
