Miley Cyrus Accused of Plagiarizing Bruno Mars’

Miley Cyrus, the renowned pop star, is facing allegations of copyright infringement over her global hit “Flowers.” The accusations come from Tempo Music Investments, a partial copyright holder of Bruno Mars’ song “When I Was Your Man,” claiming that Cyrus plagiarized its lyrics and melody for her Grammy-winning track.

In an official response filed on Wednesday, Cyrus’ legal team denied the allegations and requested the court to dismiss the lawsuit. They argued that Tempo Music only represents Philip Lawrence, one of the co-writers of Mars’ song, and is not associated with Bruno Mars or the other co-writers, Ari Levine and Andrew Wyatt. This means that Tempo Music lacks the exclusive rights to the song and therefore does not have legal standing to sue Miley Cyrus.

Tempo Music alleged in their complaint that “Flowers” shares undeniable similarities with “When I Was Your Man,” including its melody, harmony, and lyrics. In “Flowers,” Cyrus sings:
“I can buy myself flowers / Write my name in the sand / Talk to myself for hours / Say things you don’t understand…”.
Meanwhile, Mars’ lyrics read:
“I should’ve bought you flowers / And held your hand / Should’ve given you all my hours / When I had the chance…”.

However, Cyrus maintains that her song was independently created. In a May 2023 interview with British Vogue, she revealed that the chorus originally had a more melancholic, 1950s-inspired tone but was later revised to convey a more positive message, emphasizing self-love and independence.

Released in January 2023, “Flowers” quickly dominated music charts worldwide and became a fan favorite. Although comparisons between “Flowers” and “When I Was Your Man” arose shortly after its release, no definitive conclusions have been drawn regarding the alleged similarities.

This lawsuit has sparked significant public attention and reignited discussions about copyright in the music industry. Regardless of the outcome, Miley Cyrus continues to defend her creative rights, asserting that “Flowers” is an original work born from her artistic vision.