Miley Cyrus Sued Over Bruno Mars Track

Miley Cyrus accused of copying Bruno Mars' "When I Was Your Man," for her hit single "Flowers..." 

From People

Miley Cyrus is being sued in a new lawsuit over the alleged similarities between her 2023 hit "Flowers" and Bruno Mars' 2013 track “When I Was Your Man.”

According to the lawsuit, which was obtained by PEOPLE and filed in a Los Angeles court on Monday, Sept. 16, Tempo Music Investments — which owns a share of the copyright in Mars' hit after it acquired songwriter Philip Lawrence's music catalog — alleges that many "recognized the striking similarities" between the two songs upon the release of "Flowers."

"It is undeniable based on the combination and number of similarities between the two recordings that 'Flowers' would not exist without 'When I Was Your Man,' " the documents state, adding that "Flowers" "duplicates numerous melodic, harmonic, and lyrical elements" of Mars' track.

"Accordingly, Plaintiff brings this action for copyright infringement arising out of Defendants' unauthorized reproduction, distribution and exploitation of 'When I Was Your Man,' " the complaint adds.

Tempo Music Investments also lists "Flowers" songwriters Gregory Hein and Michael Pollack — who wrote the track with Cyrus — among multiple defendants, along with Sony Music Publishing and Apple, in the suit. Mars is not named as a plaintiff in the filing.

The investment platform claims in the documents that it acquired "the copyright interests" of Mars' hit — which was written by the singer, 38, Lawrence, 44, Ari Levine and Andrew Wyatt — "in or around 2020."

Among the accusations, the suit states that "the opening vocal line from the chorus of 'Flowers' begins and ends on the same chords as the opening vocal line in the verse of 'When I Was Your Man.' "

Tempo Music Investments wants Cyrus, 31, and the defendants listed in the suit to stop reproducing, distributing or publicly performing "Flowers." The company is also seeking damages, but the amount is yet to be determined.