When was Dua Lipa sued for copyright over 'Levitating'? Controversy explored as judge dismisses lawsuit

In March 2022, Levitating singer Dua Lipa faced two copyright lawsuits for the song. The first lawsuit, filed by a Florida-based music group Artikal Sound System, was dismissed the following year in June. The second lawsuit was from L. Russell Brown and Sandy Linzer, which was dismissed on March 27, 2025.

Dua Lipa was accused of copying parts of the 1979 songs Wiggle and Giggle All Night and Don Diablo. The plaintiffs argued that the opening melody of Levitating was nearly identical to theirs. According to Variety, they also pointed out that Lipa had publicly acknowledged drawing inspiration from past musical styles to create a nostalgic sound.

Nonetheless, Judge Katherine Polk Failla dropped the suit, noting that the similarities between Levitating and the two songs in question did not fall under the conditions of the copyright law.

Moreover, the judge acknowledged that any listener might notice similarities between the songs, but that did not constitute copyright violation. According to the judge’s statement, quoted by Rolling Stone:

“The Court finds that a musical style, defined by Plaintiffs as ‘pop with a disco feel,’ and a musical function, defined by Plaintiffs to include ‘entertainment and dancing,’ cannot possibly be protectable, alone or in tandem, because … [that would] completely foreclose the further development of music in that genre or for that purpose.”

Dua Lipa’s attorney previously argued that she and the other songwriters were unfamiliar with the two songs. The lawyer explained that the similarities simply resulted from using basic musical patterns. After the case was dismissed, the attorney expressed satisfaction with the ruling, emphasizing that fundamental musical elements are available for all artists.

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The plaintiff’s statement on the decision and Dua Lipa’s inspiration for the song

After the ruling, the plaintiffs’ attorney, Jason T. Brown, stated that even the expert supporting the defense admitted that listeners could recognize similarities between the two songs. They continued:

“There’s a growing disconnect between how these cases are decided, by academically analyzing briefs, bar lines, and musical notation, versus how audiences actually experience music. The soul of a song doesn’t live in a court brief. It lives in the sound, the feel, and the performance, and that’s what juries should be allowed to hear and judge.”

Speaking to Apple Music about her song, Dua Lipa shared that Levitating was the first song where she felt everyone was fully aligned with the album’s concept. While writing it, she imagined a playful, Austin Powers-style vibe and even thought Mike Myers would be a perfect fit for a potential music video.

She wanted the song to be upbeat and fun while having clever lyrics. Dua Lipa added:

“This is about me exploring happy songs and doing something that’s not “dance crying.” It’s about having fun and meeting someone and falling in love and thinking, “You’ve probably met me at the perfect time, let’s just go for it.” It’s the feeling when love makes you feel like you’re levitating. It’s otherworldly.”

Dua Lipa described the song as having a Daft Punk-like feel while keeping a playful tone. The middle section, she noted, had a style similar to Blondie’s rapping but with a British twist. She also wanted to highlight her British identity, as some people weren’t always aware of her background.

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