Brazilian judge orders Adele song removed over plagiarism claim

19/12/2024 6:11

A judge in Rio de

Janeiro has ordered the global removal of a 2015 song by British

singer Adele due to a plagiarism claim by a Brazilian musician,

which Universal Music is fighting on appeal.

The ruling, made public on Monday, came in a case filed this

year by Toninho Geraes, whose compositions were made famous by

some of Brazil's most acclaimed samba singers.



Geraes accused Adele of copying his song "Mulheres", a

national hit since the 1990s. His lawyers uploaded to YouTube a

comparison of that song and Adele's "Million Years Ago".



"The ruling shows that the Brazilian justice system is

strong and that injuries to Brazilian artists won't be ignored,"

said Fredimio Biasotto Trotta, a lawyer for Geraes.



The decision orders Sony Music Entertainment and

Universal Music to immediately cease "using,

reproducing, editing, distributing, or commercializing" the song

by any means on streaming or sharing platforms, without Geraes'

consent. It set a fine of 50,000 reais ($8,080.94) if the

companies fail to comply with the order.



The Berne Convention, an international treaty, orders other

signatory countries, including the U.S., to comply with legal

decisions regarding copyright, Trotta said.



Geraes' lawyers are now notifying streaming services, such

as Spotify and Deezer, to withdraw the song

in Brazil and globally. On Wednesday morning, the song was still

widely available.



Universal appealed the decision on Tuesday, arguing there

was no plagiarism, only an "accidental melodic similarity" due

to the use of "musical clichés."



Both Adele and Geraes have contracts with Universal, but the

Brazilian musician has been trying to terminate his contract

with the company due to his plagiarism claim, his lawyer said.



"I felt very disrespected," Geraes told Reuters. He is

asking the courts for compensation of more than $150,000.

Lawyers representing Universal Music declined to comment, and

Sony Music did not immediately reply to a request for comment.



Geraes learned of the similarities between the two songs

after a friend, who is also a composer, heard Adele's "Million

Years Ago" at a party in 2021.