Justin Bieber Sued for Allegedly Stealing Vocal Riffs in ‘Sorry'

Indie-pop artist White Hinterland has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Bieber

Will Justin Bieber have to say sorry?

Casey Dienel, an indie artist who goes by the stage name White Hinterland, has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Bieber for allegedly stealing a vocal rift from her song "Ring the Bell" and using it in his hit song "Sorry."

Dienel claims Bieber and producer Skrillex used a "virtually identical" riff without permission. TMZ first reported on the suit Thursday.

In addition to Bieber and Skrillex, the lawsuit, which was filed in Nashville, also names Universal Music Group as a defendant. E! News has reached out for comment. Universal is E!'s and NBC's parent company.

The songstress also claims the hit track uses synthesizers, samples, synth bass, drums and percussion that sound similar to those used in "Ring the Bell."

The indie songstress also says she reached out to the "Love Yourself" crooner to discuss a potential resolution but was "ignored." Dienel is seeking unspecified damages, including profits from "Sorry," which has been viewed more than 1.4 million times on YouTube.

Dienel's lawsuit comes on the heels of Bieber's lambasting of awards shows. The "What Do You Mean" crooner not only performed at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards, but he also took home awards for Top Male Artist and Top Social Media Artist. Despite his victories, he didn't feel great.

"I don't know about these award shows... No disrespect to anybody at any of the shows or the people running it. Nothing but love for you guys and your support. But I don't feel good when I'm there nor after," Bieber, 22, wrote. "I try to think of it as a celebration but can't help feeling like people are rating and grading my performance. A lot of people in the audience there to be seem worried about how much camera time they will get or who they can network with."

Justin Bieber Goes on Dinner Date With Transformers Actress Nicola Peltz

Bieber is in the middle of his Purpose World Tour, where he says he feels the love and devotion from his fans. Awards shows, on the other hand, don't feel genuine, he argued in his Instagram rant. [[238904721, C]]

"When I'm doing a regular show I feel they are there for the right reasons and to strictly have a good time! But these award shows seem so hollow. I get the premise is to award people for their accomplishments, but is it really?" he asked. "Because when I look in the audience I see a bunch of fake smiles so that when the camera hits them they look happy."

Of course, Bieber acknowledged how grateful he is for the genuine support he's received from the industry. "I am privileged and honored to be recognized by my peers, but in these settings I can't feel the recognition. There's an authenticity missing that I crave! And I wonder, does anybody else?" he said, without finishing his sentence. "Sorry, not sorry, about grammar it's not my strong point."

Mug Shot Mania

Court Appearances

Copyright E! Online
Contact Us