Miley Cyrus can buy herself flowers… and a lawyer, which the pop star now needs she was sued for copying Bruno Mars in her 2023 hit “Flowers”.
Cyrus, 31, was sued for copyright infringement on Monday by Tempo Music Investments, which now owns a copyright interest in Mars’ 2013 song, “When I Was Your Man.” The singer, born Peter Gene Hernandez, is not listed as a plaintiff, according to court documents obtained by People.
“It is undeniably based on the combination and number of similarities between the two recordings that ‘Flowers’ would not exist without ‘When I Was Your Man,'” says the lawsuit, which claims many people have “recognized the striking similarities” between the tracks.
“Flowers”, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100where it remained for eight weeks, allegedly “duplicating many melodic, harmonic and lyrical elements” of its predecessor.
As part of the lawsuit, the company has ordered Cyrus and her co-defendants and “Flowers” songwriters Gregory Hein and Michael Pollack to stop reproducing, distributing or publicly performing the Grammy-winning song, per People.
It is unclear how much Tempo Music Investments is demanding in damages.
Believed to reference the demise of her marriage to ex-husband Liam Hemsworth, Cyrus’ “Flowers” spent a total of 55 weeks on the Billboard charts. The song gave Cyrus her first two Grammysfor Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.
“When I Was Your Man”, meanwhile, topped the chart for one week and spent a total of 35 weeks on Billboard Hot 100. March got one Grammy nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance with the song.
An attorney for Cyrus did not immediately respond to the Daily News’ request for comment.