Olivia Dean Song Accused Of Copying Bill Withers’ ‘Just The Two Of Us’

British singer Olivia Dean is facing a copyright dispute over her song “I’ve Seen It,” with the publisher behind Bill Withers’ music claiming the track copies elements of his 1981 classic “Just the Two of Us.” A lawsuit was filed October 1, 2026, in federal court in Los Angeles by Mattie Music Group, which operates as Bleunig Music and manages rights connected to Withers’ catalog. The complaint names Capitol Records, Universal Music Group, Sony Publishing and Kobalt Music Publishing as defendants. Dean herself and her two co-writers, Bastian Langebaek and Max Wolfgang, were not named as defendants.

What Is The Allegation?

The dispute centers on the melody of “I’ve Seen It,” which appears as the closing track on Dean’s 2025 album “The Art of Loving.” The lawsuit alleges that Dean’s song repeatedly copies what the publisher considers a distinctive and copyright-protected melody from “Just the Two of Us,” the Bill Withers song originally released in 1981. According to the complaint, representatives for Withers’ catalog listened to Dean’s song in August and concluded that the similarities were significant. The publisher then hired musicologist Alexander Stewart to compare the two compositions. The lawsuit says Stewart found substantial similarities in protectable musical expression, including what the publisher describes as repeated copying of the melody.

Why Do The Songs Sound Similar?

The allegation is not that the two songs are identical or that Dean copied the entire arrangement of “Just the Two of Us.” Instead, the legal dispute appears to focus primarily on a particular melodic passage. The case could ultimately come down to only a few bars of music. The alleged similarities involve a section in which the melodies sound similar when the two songs are compared. That distinction is important because copyright cases involving music can become complicated when the alleged copying involves only a small portion of a song. The question is not simply whether two songs sound alike. A court would have to determine whether the allegedly similar material involves protected musical expression and whether the later song unlawfully copied it.

The Publisher Says Dean Could Have Heard The Song

Another important part of the lawsuit is access. To establish copyright infringement based on copying, the plaintiff generally needs to establish that the creators of the newer work had an opportunity to encounter the earlier work. The publisher argues that “Just the Two of Us” was so widely known that Dean and her co-writers would have had a reasonable opportunity to hear it before writing “I’ve Seen It.” The complaint points to the original song’s commercial success, Grammy recognition, decades of radio play, streaming availability and numerous cover versions as evidence of its widespread exposure. “Just the Two of Us” was co-written by Withers, Ralph MacDonald and William Salter. The song became one of Withers’ best-known recordings and reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Olivia Dean Is Not Being Sued Personally

Despite the allegations surrounding Dean, the lawsuit does not currently name the singer as a defendant. Instead, the case targets companies involved in the recording, publishing, licensing and distribution of “I’ve Seen It,” including Capitol Records and Universal Music Group, as well as Sony Publishing and Kobalt. The complaint alleges that the companies continued commercially exploiting the song after receiving notice of the alleged infringement in August 2026.

What Happens Next?

The lawsuit seeks financial damages and an order preventing further infringement. The publisher is also seeking other remedies related to the continued distribution and exploitation of the song. For now, it is important to describe this as an allegation, not a proven case of plagiarism. The filing represents the claims made by Withers’ music publisher, and a court has not determined that Dean or the companies involved actually infringed the copyright. The case also highlights how complicated music copyright disputes can become when a newer song contains a short musical passage that resembles a famous older song. A similarity that listeners recognize does not automatically establish legal infringement. The court will ultimately have to examine the copyrighted material, the alleged similarities and the circumstances surrounding the creation and use of Dean’s song. Dean, who won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 2026, has not been found by a court to have intentionally copied the song. The legal question is whether “I’ve Seen It” unlawfully copied protected elements of “Just the Two of Us.”