Bill Withers’ music publisher has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit alleging that Olivia Dean’s song “I’ve Seen It” copies protected musical elements from “Just the Two of Us.”
Mattie Music Group, doing business as Bleunig Music, filed the lawsuit on October 1, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The case is numbered 2:26-cv-11383.
The lawsuit names Capitol Records, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Publishing and Kobalt entities as defendants. Dean and her co-writers, Bastian Langebæk and Max Wolfgang, are not named as defendants.
“I’ve Seen It” appears on Dean’s 2025 album, The Art of Loving. Mattie Music Group alleges that the song copies protected musical expression from “Just the Two of Us,” which was written by Bill Withers, William Salter and Ralph MacDonald and recorded by Grover Washington Jr. with Withers on vocals.
According to reports describing the complaint, representatives of Mattie Music Group retained a musicologist to compare the two compositions. The publisher alleges that the analysis identified substantial similarities in protectable musical expression, including repeated copying of what it describes as a distinctively protectable melody.
The lawsuit also argues that the number, character and arrangement of the alleged similarities support an inference that they did not result from coincidence, independent creation or the use of common musical elements. The publisher further alleges that the longstanding and widespread availability of “Just the Two of Us” gave Dean and her co-writers a reasonable opportunity to encounter the earlier work before creating “I’ve Seen It.
Mattie Music Group says it notified the defendants of the alleged infringement on August 17, 2026. According to the complaint, the song continued to be distributed, licensed and commercially exploited afterward without changes to its credits.
The publisher is seeking damages for the alleged copyright infringement, as well as profits attributable to the allegedly infringing song and injunctive relief.
The allegations have not been determined by the court.
Case Information
| Case Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | U.S. District Court for the Central District of California |
| Case No. | 2:26-cv-11383 |
| Filed | October 1, 2026 |
| Plaintiff | Mattie Music Group, doing business as Bleunig Music |
| Defendants | Capitol Records, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Publishing and Kobalt entities |
| Nature of Suit | Copyright |
| Work at Issue | “Just the Two of Us” |
| Accused Work | Olivia Dean’s “I’ve Seen It” |
| Claim | Copyright infringement |
| Relief Sought | Damages, profits and injunctive relief |
Court Filing: Read the full complaint (external link)
Sources: Reuters; Digital Music News
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