Lizzo faces legal action over track referencing Sydney Sweeney

A snippet of an unreleased Lizzo track is at the center of a new copyright infringement lawsuit. According to a complaint obtained by Rolling Stone, a Georgia-based Revocable Trust called the GRC Trust claims that the musician infringed on their copyright for a song titled “Win or Lose (We Tried)” when she shared a preview of “I’m Goin’ in Till October” on Instagram and TikTok in August.

Although the song has never been officially released, GRC Trust alleges that it has “suffered damages” and that Lizzo, along with Atlantic Records, “have obtained profits they would not have realized but for their infringement of GRC’s rights.”

In a statement to Rolling Stone, representatives for Lizzo responded, “We are surprised that The GRC Trust filed this lawsuit. To be clear, the song has never been commercially released or monetized, and no decision has been made at this time regarding any future commercial release of the song.”

Lizzo shared the preview of “I’m Goin’ in Till October” in early August, around the time Sydney Sweeney faced public backlash following her denim campaign with American Eagle. In the track, Lizzo referenced the actress, rapping, “Bitch, I got good jeans like I’m Sydney.”

Several weeks after the snippet appeared online, Lizzo dropped the extended edition of her EP My Face Hurts From Smiling, titled My Face Still Hurts From Smiling. The expanded project featured nine new tracks, but the full version of “I’m Goin’ in Till October” was not included.

In its complaint, GRC Trust claims Lizzo “copied and exploited” their copyrighted material and states that negotiations with her team and label “reached an impasse,” which led to the lawsuit. “The Infringing Work incorporates, interpolates, and samples instrumental and vocal elements of the Composition,” the filing reads. “Representatives for Lizzo acknowledge the same.”

This isn’t the first time Lizzo has faced legal issues involving her music. In 2019, she was accused of plagiarism over her hit single “Truth Hurts.” She countersued the songwriters who brought the claim, but the case was eventually dismissed. A settlement was reached in 2022.