Lizzo settles copyright infringement lawsuit over unreleased song

January 13, 2026 – Radio 854 Music News:

Los Angeles, January 13, 2026 — Pop superstar Lizzo has reached a settlement in a copyright infringement lawsuit over a snippet of an unreleased song she previewed on social media last year.

The case, brought by Georgia-based GRC Trust, centered on a brief clip from Lizzo’s track “I’m Goin’ In Till October” — also known online as “Good Jeans.” The snippet, which Lizzo shared on TikTok and Instagram in the summer of 2025, referenced actress Sydney Sweeney and her controversial American Eagle jeans campaign with the line:

“Bitch, I got good jeans like I’m Sydney.”

GRC Trust claimed that the unreleased song sampled and interpolated elements from the 1970 soul track “Win or Lose (We Tried)” by Sam Dees without obtaining permission — a violation of copyright law. The lawsuit sought damages, an injunction to block further use of the song, and legal costs.

On January 9, a notice filed in federal court in California stated that the parties had reached a “settlement in principle to resolve all claims” and expected to submit a dismissal with prejudice — meaning the case is permanently closed and cannot be refiled. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

Lizzo’s team previously expressed surprise at being sued over the track, noting that it was never commercially released or monetized, and that no decision had been made about any future release.

Although the song never made it onto any official project — including Lizzo’s 2025 mixtape My Face Hurts From Smiling — its viral exposure on social media was enough to draw legal scrutiny. This swift settlement comes just months after the lawsuit was filed in October 2025, wrapping up the dispute in under three months.

This isn’t the first time Lizzo has faced legal challenges over her music. In 2019, she settled a copyright claim related to her hit “Truth Hurts,” and the singer has also navigated other industry and personal lawsuits in recent years.

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