Olivia Dean’s music collides with a Grammy-winning classic in a new lawsuit that accuses the singer of repeatedly copying Bill Withers’ song “Just the Two of Us.”
Dean’s label was sued on Friday by Matty Music Group, the publisher of Withers’ catalogue.
Dean’s 2025 song, “I’ve Seen It,” and Withers’ hit classic According to the lawsuit, obtained by Fox News Digital, there are “obvious and undeniable similarities.”
The lawsuit claimed, “The number, character, and arrangement of the shared musical features are so striking that they support an interference that the similarities did not result from coincidence, independent creation, or reliance on common musical elements.”
At the heart of the case is the allegation that “I’ve Seen It” repeatedly copies the “distinctively protected melody” of “Just the Two of Us”.
Matty Music Group hired after the song came out in August 2026 musician alexander stewartInitial analysis of which reportedly found substantial similarities in the preserved musical expression.
Matty Music Group insisted that Withers’ original song was so widely circulated that Dean and co-writers Bastian Langbaek and Max Wolfgang had a fair opportunity to tackle it.
“Just the Two of Us” reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, won a Grammy Award, and received decades of radio play and streams. It has also been covered by many artists.
The label reportedly informed the companies about the alleged infringement on August 17, 2026, but claimed they continued commercial exploitation of the song afterward.
The federal lawsuit targets Capitol Records, Universal Music Group, Sony Publishing and Kobalt Music Publishing – not Dean personally – and seeks damages, profits and an injunction against further alleged infringement.
Withers achieved success in 1971 with “Ain’t No Sunshine”, which earned her her first Grammy.
Their catalog includes such classics as “Lean on Me,” “Use Me,” “Lovely Day,” “Grandma’s Hands” and “Just the Two of Us.”
Dean, 27, is a British singer-songwriter whose blend of soul, pop and jazz-influenced R&B has made her one of the UK’s biggest breakout stars.
He released his debut album, “Messi”, in 2023.
Their second album, “The Art of Loving,” produced major hits, including “Nice to Each Other,” “So Easy (to Fall in Love)” and “Man I Need.”