Songwriter Claims Travis Scott, SZA and Future Used Elements of Her Song in Copyright Lawsuit over ‘Telekinesis’
A songwriter has claimed that Travis Scott, SZA and Future used elements of her song without her permission.
In a copyright infringement complaint filed on Wednesday, Jan. 8, Victory Boyd, a Roc Nation-signed musician, claims the trio’s 2023 collaboration “Telekinesis” used aspects of her 2019 track “Like the Way It Sounds” without her permission.
Also named in the lawsuit as defendants are Cactus Jack Records, LLC, Cactus Jack Publishing, LLC, Epic Records, Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Music Publishing, luxury watch brand Audemars Piguet, and songwriters Jahmal Gwin, Jahaan Sweet, Nima Jahnbin and Edgar Panford, as well as several other John Does.
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“Scott, SZA, Future and all defendants intentionally and willfully copied plaintiffs’ original work, specifically plaintiff’s lyrics, when they commercially released the infringing work,” the complaint reads.
The plaintiff claims that she shared “Like the Way It Sounds” with Kanye West and recorded a version of the track named “Ultrasounds” with him that she believes was shared with Scott, though it was never released.
Boyd claims that Scott “intentionally and willfully copied her song” when he teamed up with Future and SZA to make “Telekinesis,” which was featured on his 2023 album Utopia.
Boyd allegedly never allowed their collaboration featuring elements of her original work to be released on Scott’s 2023 album Utopia.
Per the complaint, Boyd claims her music was left in a studio in Wyoming, where Scott worked on the allegedly copied song.
“Upon information and belief, Scott, SZA, and Future intentionally and willfully copied Plaintiff’s Original Work, specifically Plaintiff’s Lyrics and Melody, when they created the Infringing Work in May of 2023,” the suit reads.
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According to the complaint, Boyd claims she was credited as a songwriter, but didn’t know the track would be “copied and commercially released” by Scott, Future and SZA.
Allegedly, she planned to release her version of the song with Roc Nation.
Boyd also claims that Audemars Piguet collaborated with the trio on an advertising campaign, which featured “Telekinesis,” even though Boyd didn’t grant them permission to use her allegedly infringed work.
Boyd is asking that all defendants named in the suit “recall and destroy” all copies of music that stemmed from her original work, as well as payment in “an amount to be determined at trial in actual damages and profits, plus interest.”
She’s also seeking “a full and complete accounting of all profits obtained from their marketing, distribution, and national television broadcasting” of “Telekinesis.”
Reps for Cactus Jack Records, LLC, Cactus Jack Publishing, LLC, Epic Records, Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Music Publishing, luxury brand Audemars Piguet, and songwriters Jahmal Gwin, Jahaan Sweet, Nima Jahnbin and Edgar Panford have not yet replied to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
