LOS ANGELES, United States — A music publisher representing part of Bill Withers’ catalogue has filed a copyright lawsuit alleging that Olivia Dean’s song I’ve Seen It copied protected musical elements from the late singer’s 1981 hit Just the Two of Us.
The complaint, filed in federal court in California, targets Dean’s record label and music publishers rather than Dean herself or her co-writers, Bastian Langebæk and Max Wolfgang.
Mattie Music Group, doing business as Bleunig Music, alleges that I’ve Seen It, the closing track on Dean’s 2025 album The Art of Loving, contains a melody substantially similar to one in Just the Two of Us.
The lawsuit was filed on Thursday, October 1, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
Publisher Alleges Similarities in Melody
Mattie Music Group said it commissioned a musicologist to examine the two compositions after representatives became concerned about similarities between them.
According to legal documents reviewed by the <a href=”https://bbc.in/47weD6f” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>BBC</a>, the analysis concluded that the songs contained “substantial similarities” in protectable musical expression, including what the publisher alleges is repeated use of a distinctive melody from Just the Two of Us.
The publisher alleges that the similarities were sufficiently extensive to rule out coincidence, independent composition, or reliance solely on common musical elements. That assertion is part of the plaintiff’s case and has not been determined by a court.
Dean and her co-writers are not named as defendants.
Instead, the complaint names Capitol Records, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Publishing, and Kobalt Music Publishing America among the companies involved in distributing or publishing I’ve Seen It.
Representatives for the companies and for Dean had not publicly responded to the allegations when the reports were published.
Lawsuit Says Companies Were Warned in August
Mattie Music Group alleges that it contacted the defendants on August 17 after identifying what it regarded as material musical similarities between the songs.
The complaint says the companies continued distributing, licensing, and commercially exploiting I’ve Seen It after receiving the notice.
The publisher is seeking financial damages and profits it says are attributable to the alleged infringement. It has also asked the court for an injunction that would restrict further use of the disputed song.
The case has not yet produced a ruling on whether copyright infringement occurred.
‘Just the Two of Us’ Remains a Withers Standard
Just the Two of Us became one of Withers’ best-known recordings after its release in 1981 and won the Grammy Award for best R&B song.
The lawsuit says the song’s decades of commercial success and radio exposure gave Dean and her collaborators a reasonable opportunity to have encountered the composition before writing I’ve Seen It.
Withers died in 2020.
Dean released The Art of Loving, her second studio album, in September 2025. The record became a major commercial success, reaching No. 1 in Britain and later winning album of the year at the Brit Awards.
Dean also won the Grammy Award for best new artist in 2026.
I’ve Seen It has accumulated about 246 million streams on Spotify, while Just the Two of Us has recorded about 948 million, according to figures reported by the BBC.
The defendants will have an opportunity to respond to the copyright allegations as the case proceeds in federal court.
