WATER CONTRIBUTORS SUING TYLA OVER ROYALTIES
It was the breakthrough song for South African artist Tyla, but it’s now the reason why she’s being sued.
Water was released in 2023 and spent a massive 29 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also led to Tyla winning the Best African Music Award at the 2024 Grammy Awards.
The Johannesburg-based singer has been taken to court by two contributors claiming they have been unfairly excluded from proper royalty payments.
In the papers filed, the California-based writers Olmo Zucca and Jackson LoMastro claim they lost out on money due to a “nefarious” plan orchestrated by one of the main producers of the hit song.
The lawsuit was filed against Tyla, Sony Music Entertainment, and Tyla’s British producer, Sammy SoSo.
IOL reports that the lawsuit claims that Sammy SoSo intentionally sidelined them by signing an exclusive deal with Tyla to take sole credit for the song's production, offering the pair only 10% each in publishing royalties while keeping 15% for himself.
An extract from the complaint reads: “Because the defendants have refused to recognise the plaintiffs’ status as top-line producers of the song and have failed to pay the plaintiffs all the royalties owed to them, the plaintiffs have each suffered injury in fact.”
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