Justin Bieber has been sued by Indie Pop singer Casey Dienel for alleged copyright infringement over Bieber's hit song 'Sorry'.
Casey Dienel, who performs under the stage name White Hinterland, has claimed that the song 'Sorry' infringes on "her original musical composition 'Ring the Bell'.
'Ring the Bell' is a track from Dienel's third album titled "Baby" which was released in early 2014. The song opens with a repeated four-note progression in her airy voice before the synthesizers come in. The song 'Sorry' is also built on a repeated vocal riff interspersed with a dance beat.
The lawsuit filed this week in a federal court said: "An ordinary lay listener would instantly recognize the sample and similarity between the songs". The complaint alleges that the riff is so similar and that the Canadian celebrity singer's team has taken 'Ring the Bell' as a sample and distorted it electronically without Dienel's permission.
Dienel said she tried to contact Bieber's team but there was no response. She said she was entitled to "substantial" profits from Bieber's song, saying the amount should be determined at a jury trial.
However, Bieber did not comment on the lawsuit immediately.
The lawsuit also names Bieber's songwriters including Skrillex, a leading electronic music producer. 'Sorry' was produced and co-written by deejay Skrillex.
Skrillex and Diplo, another prominent producer, helped Bieber in his album 'Purpose', which was the third top-selling album in the United States last year.
