Noise pop duo Sleigh Bells (Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller) have taken to Twitter to publicly denounce former pop songstress Demi Lovato sampling two of their songs without permission.
.@ddlovato Demi Lovato flattered you guys sampled Infinity Guitars & Riot Rhythm for “Stars” but we were not contacted. Gotta clear those.
— SLEIGH BELLS (@sleighbells) November 2, 2015
‘Flattered’ but ultimately not impressed, the pair’s Tweet asserted that the former Disney star’s bonus track Stars from latest album Confident samples Sleigh Bells’ Infinity Guitars and Riot Rhythm without their permission.
Lovato’s producers have issued a formal statement denying the alleged sampling. But in a move that may seem like they’re accepting some responsibility for they potential plagiarism, they asserted that that the star only contributed the vocal melody for Stars, and was not further involved in the production or writing of the track.
While appropriating a few seconds of another song can be copyright infringement, it must be proven that what was taken is a substantial part of the original song.
Given the similarity of Sleigh Bells’ exceptionally catchy hooks and Stars, it seems like the U.S. duo may have a leg to stand on. But ultimately, this is something which is usually only decided as the result of lengthy legal proceedings – so who knows how it’ll end up.
The accusation comes in on the tail of end of accusations that Lovato had ripped off fellow diva Katy Perry’s I Kissed A Girl on track Cool For Summer. Something which Lovato has vehemently denied.
Whether the two camps can work something out remain to be seen but is likely that things will heat up with the band telling Rolling Stone that they do feel that their music has been illegally plagiarised and will be seeking ‘all available remedies.’
Compare the songs here: