stayc main image

Miley Cyrus is Going to Take Over Pop in 2023

January 31, 2023

Miley Cyrus was born into the music industry, and has spent her career channelling her Nashville and Hollywood roots into a diverse discography stacked with hits. Add to that countless covers that are

Read more
stayc main image

Why This Pop-Rock Band Got Hate For Starting On YouTube

January 31, 2023

Before the invention of TikTok, many music artists gained popularity through YouTube. However, similar to the TikTok stars of today, people in the music industry saw ‘YouTube bands’ as lesser because

Read more
stayc main image

Will Google End Work for Music Creators with their New Music AI?

February 1, 2023

Google has done it. They have created an AI that can generate music from text descriptions. The announcement of this is timely because recently Chat GPT, (a language learning model created by OpenAI

Read more
stayc main image

The Road to Success: What qualities can we learn from Kpop Idols?

January 28, 2023

What does it take to be a professional singer in South Korea? On stage, these Kpop idols capture our attention with catchy songs and amazing choreographies, but what about off-stage? Behind the ...

Read more
stayc main image

Songwriter's Block: Inspiration Tuning in From Around the World

January 26, 2023

Writer’s block is real, and it’s not just authors, but also songwriters and composers. Thinking of top hit songs can be difficult, so how do the pros do it? Where do they get their inspiration from?

Read more
stayc main image

Arcane: How A Video Game Adaptation Ended Up With A Banger Soundtrack

January 26, 2023

What does a TV show based on a video game and the music industry have in common? Near the end of 2021, Arcane took the world by storm after debuting on Netflix. Not only did it dazzle us with its...

Read more
stayc main image

How Black Pink Should Negotiate Their New Contract with YG Entertainment

January 23, 2023

As the contract between Blackpink and YG Entertainment nears its end, fans of the popular South Korean girl group are wondering if the group will renew their contract with the agency...

Read more
stayc main image

Writer's Block is Real, Even for J.Cole: Here are 8 Tips to Overcome

January 19, 2023

Rapper J. Cole has recently announced that he had been struggling with writer's block, but found a way to break free from it by using a type beat from Youtube music producer BVTMAN's YouTube...

Read more
stayc main image

Hania Rani: A Virtuoso in the World of Classical and Electronic Music

January 19, 2023

Hania Rani is a Polish pianist and composer whose music has been described as "hauntingly beautiful" and "evocative." She is known for her unique blend of classical and electronic music, which she...

Read more
stayc main image

Ryan Tedder’s Studio Review: Writing Three Songs From Scratch

January 16, 2023

Ryan Tedder is a highly accomplished and sought-after music producer and songwriter. He is known for his work with a wide range of artists including: Adele, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and OneRepublic...

Read more
stayc main image

Quentin Miller only got paid $30,000 for writing 6 Drake songs.

January 6, 2022

Drake's ghostwriter controversy has been a topic of conversation since the rapper's feud with Meek Mill in 2015. Quentin Miller, a lesser-known rapper from Atlanta, was named as the ghostwriter....

Read more
stayc main image

Timbaland’s Beatmaking Masterclass Review: A Class on Feeling the Flow

December 28, 2022

Many artists are using their personal brand and influence to educate artists, from beginners to fellow professionals. Timbaland has partnered with Masterclass to teach musicians how to make unique...

Read more

The Fine Line Between Inspiration and Infringement: Beyoncé’s ‘Break My Soul’ Lawsuit

stayc main image

In the intricate world of music creation, inspiration often blurs the lines between originality and infringement. The recent lawsuit against Beyoncé over her hit song "Break My Soul" serves as a poignant reminder of these complexities. The lawsuit, filed by members of the bounce music group Da Showstoppaz, accuses Beyoncé of illegally using elements from their 2002 track “Release a Wiggle” through a sample in Big Freedia’s "Explode," which was then featured in "Break My Soul."

Beyoncé’s chart-topping single prominently samples "Explode" by Big Freedia, a prominent figure in the New Orleans bounce music scene. Bounce music, characterized by its energetic tempo and repetitive rhythms, has been steadily gaining mainstream recognition, thanks in part to artists like Big Freedia. However, Da Showstoppaz allege that "Explode" borrows significant portions from their earlier work "Release a Wiggle," specifically the repeated chorus phrase "release your wiggle."

Da Showstoppaz members Tessa Avie, Keva Bourgeois, Henri Braggs, and Brian Clark claim that the lyrics and musical composition in "Explode" are substantially similar to those in "Release a Wiggle." They are calling for recognition and financial compensation, seeking to be credited for their contributions and to receive royalties from both "Explode" and "Break My Soul." The lawsuit names Beyoncé, Big Freedia, Jay-Z, and Sony Music as defendants, highlighting the far-reaching implications of such claims in the music industry.

The case underscores the importance of navigating the fine line between inspiration and copyright infringement. While drawing from existing music can lead to innovative and popular new tracks, it also risks crossing into legal territory. For music creators, producers, and anyone involved in the industry, understanding the boundaries of copyright law is crucial. Failure to do so can result in costly legal battles, damaged reputations, and financial losses. Ensuring originality and properly crediting sources are essential practices to safeguard against these dangers and to foster a creative environment that respects the intellectual property of all artists.