Many people might assume that famous celebrities don’t need to protect their artistic works, but that is not the case. It is vital for artists of all mediums and at all levels to ensure that their creations have copyright protection to deter others from profiting off of their intellectual property. However, violations still occur and New York artists have to deal with them. Singer Ariana Grande is in just such a legal battle right now, with clothing retailer Forever 21. She alleges that the retailer stole her likeness, song lyrics and other intellectual property.
Representatives for Grande say that she was approached by the retailer and a related beauty brand known as Riley Rose just last year. They wanted to work with Grande to create an endorsement deal. She and her team declined the offer, feeling that the retailer wasn’t willing to properly compensate her based on her worth as an artist.
Grande’s team says that the two companies went ahead and hired a model with a striking resemblance to Grande. Their suit alleges that the campaign used her likeness, name and music lyrics to appear as though the singer actually endorsed them. Grande’s representatives asked for the images, which appeared on Forever 21’s Instagram, to be taken down, but they say the company took months to comply. The suit against the two companies alleges copyright infringement, common law trademark infringement and other offenses.
Though Ariana Grande is a famous singer, her case shows just how important it is that artists protect themselves to the best of their abilities. An attorney here in New York with extensive knowledge of how intellectual property relates to copyright law could be a valuable resource in a similar situation. It is imperative that an artist’s work is properly valued.