OLIVIA DEAN SUED OVER "I'VE SEEN IT" — BILL WITHERS' PUBLISHER CLAIMS IT COPIES "JUST THE TWO OF US" MELODY

Olivia Dean is facing a copyright infringement lawsuit over "I've Seen It", the closing track of her 2025 album The Art of Loving.

According to published reports, Mattie Music Group — acting as Bleunig Music, one of the credited publishers of Bill Withers' 1981 classic "Just the Two of Us" — filed the suit on October 1, 2026, claiming that "I've Seen It" copies the protected melody of the Withers song.

Notably, Dean herself is not named as a defendant in the case. No court has decided these claims: everything about the dispute remains alleged, not established, at this stage.

Image: Raph_PH / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

The Lawsuit: What Was Filed

According to reports, the plaintiff is Mattie Music Group dba Bleunig Music, one of three credited publishers of "Just the Two of Us". The other two credited publishers, Antisia Music and BMG Ruby Songs, did not join the lawsuit.

The complaint alleges it was filed on Thursday, October 1, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles, under case number 2:26-cv-11383. The named defendants are Universal Music Group, Capitol Records, Sony Music Publishing and Kobalt Music Publishing America, along with 50 "Doe" defendants. Olivia Dean herself, as well as co-writers Bastian Langebæk and Max Wolfgang, are not named as defendants.

The complaint alleges that the similarities between the two songs are "obvious and inescapable", and that a musicologist concluded there are "substantial similarities" in protectable expression, including the repeated use of the distinctive melody. As relief, the complaint seeks a permanent injunction, damages covering the publisher's alleged losses and the defendants' alleged profits, attorneys' fees and costs, and the seizure and destruction of all existing copies.

Who Is Suing — and Who Isn't Named

Mattie Music Group, doing business as Bleunig Music, is the sole publisher suing. While Dean and her co-writers Bastian Langebæk and Max Wolfgang are not among the defendants, the complaint alleges they had "a reasonable opportunity to encounter" the Withers song.

According to reports, cease-and-desist letters were sent in August 2026, but the labels allegedly continued distributing and licensing the track. As of the reports, there has been no public response from Dean or any of the companies named — TMZ reported reaching out, with no word back.

The Two Songs at the Center

"I've Seen It" is the closing track of Olivia Dean's 2025 album The Art of Loving, released on Capitol. The song is credited to Dean, Bastian Langebæk and Max Wolfgang, and was produced by Langebæk and Wolfgang.

"Just the Two of Us" was released in 1981, co-written by Bill Withers with Ralph MacDonald and William Salter, and performed by Grover Washington Jr. featuring Withers. According to reports, it reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song in 1982.

The dispute joins a long line of high-profile music-copyright cases — including the "Blurred Lines" and "Uptown Funk" disputes — testing where inspiration ends and infringement begins. For more on the singer, see her Olivia Dean biography, and check out "Man I Need" lyrics by Olivia Dean and "So Easy (To Fall in Love)" lyrics by Olivia Dean from the same album.

Watch the Official Video

Watch the official lyric video for "I've Seen It" below:

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Olivia Dean being sued?

According to published reports, Mattie Music Group, a publisher of Bill Withers' "Just the Two of Us", filed a copyright lawsuit on October 1, 2026, in Los Angeles federal court, alleging that Dean's "I've Seen It" copies the song's protected melody. These are allegations only — no court has decided anything.

Is Olivia Dean herself named as a defendant?

No. According to reports, the named defendants are Universal Music Group, Capitol Records, Sony Music Publishing and Kobalt Music Publishing America, plus 50 "Doe" defendants — Dean and her co-writers are not named.

What is the publisher asking for?

According to the complaint, the publisher seeks a permanent injunction, damages covering its alleged losses and the defendants' alleged profits, attorneys' fees and costs, and the seizure and destruction of all existing copies.

Have Dean or the labels responded?

No. As of the published reports, neither Dean nor the companies named in the suit have publicly responded, and TMZ reported that its outreach went unanswered.