Sam Smith And Normani Cleared Of Copyright Infringement Claims

Sam Smith and Normani are legally in the clear following a year-long battle over their song “Dancing with a Stranger.”

The collab, which debuted back in 2019, was the subject of controversy last year after songwriters Jordan Vincent, Christopher Miranda, and Rosco Banlaoi alleged that they had ripped off a song they wrote in 2015 of the same name.

“The hook/chorus in both songs — the most significant part and artistic aspect of these works — contains the lyrics ‘dancing with a stranger’ being sung over a nearly identical melody and musical composition,” the lawsuit alleged.

Lawyers for Smith and Normani countered that the claims of similarities focused on things that were “too abstract” to be copyrighted—and it seems California judge Wesley L. Hsu agrees.

Rolling Stone reports that the case was dismissed, with Hsu stating that “most if not all of the Plaintiff’s claimed similarities” were outside the bounds of copyright, including the phrase “dancing with a stranger.”

Similar lawsuits against Ed Sheeran have also fallen apart this year, for his song “Thinking Out Loud.” The singer famously declared he would leave music altogether if a judge decided the tune ripped off Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.”

“I’m unbelievably frustrated that baseless claims like this are allowed to go to court at all,” Sheeran said after winning his case.

Smith and Normani, who are credited as songwriters on “Dancing with a Stranger” alongside Jimmy Napes, Mikkel S. Eriksen, and Tor E. Hermansen, have yet to comment on their win.