Dua Lipa has settled a copyright infringement and breach of contract lawsuit brought by the producer Bosko Kante over her hit song “Levitating.”
Lawyers for both parties indicated in court documents filed on Monday, Nov. 9, that a settlement had been reached.
Terms of the dismissal#
- Dismissal: The case was dismissed with prejudice, so it cannot be brought again.
- Costs: Both sides will cover their own costs and attorneys’ fees.
- Undisclosed terms: Additional details, including whether the settlement includes monetary damages or song credits, were not disclosed.
Statement from Kante’s lawyer#
Na’il Benjamin, a lawyer for Kante, said in a statement: “In short, we believe this case, and resolution, benefits all artists that produce, perform, and collaborate on projects released by large labels.”
“Artist contributions are valuable; and proper use, credit and compensation are important to artists. We believe we’ve resolved Bosko’s disputes with Warner in a manner that reflects Bosko’s contributions to Levitate.”
Lawyers for Dua Lipa and the other defendants, including Warner Records and the producer Stephen “Koz” Kozmeniuk, did not respond to requests for comment.
Background of the suit#
Kante filed the suit over “Levitating” in 2023. He specializes in making music with a “talk box” voice modulator, has invented his own ElectroSplit device, has collaborated with artists including Kanye West and Big Boi, and composed the theme music for the Nineties sketch comedy series In Living Color.
Kante claimed that in 2019, while Kozmeniuk was working on “Levitating,” Kozmeniuk contacted him about “creating and performing a talk box performance” for the song.
According to the suit, Kante eventually reached a licensing agreement that would allow his performance to feature on the track. Kante claimed, however, that the agreement covered only the original version of “Levitating,” released March 26, 2020, and did not extend to future remixes. He said several remixes were later released, including a hit version featuring DaBaby.
