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Music

Skrillex and Justin Bieber Sued Over Sample on "Sorry"

"Sorry" allegedly used a vocal line from White Hinterland's "Ring the Bell".
Image via Youtube

Skrillex and Justin Bieber are being sued over their monster hit "Sorry," for not obtaining permission to use a sample on the track.

TMZ first reported that the Chicago-based pop singer Casey Dienel, aka White Hinterland, filed a lawsuit alleging that the "unique characteristics of the female vocal riff" off her 2014 hit "Ring The Bell" are identical to a sample in "Sorry." The sample appears as an a cappella at the beginning of Dienel's song, and repeats throughout Bieber's "Sorry."

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Dienel later posted on Facebook confirming the lawsuit. "The writers, producers, and performers of 'Sorry' did not obtain a license for this exploitation of my work, nor did they obtain or seek my permission," she said. "Yesterday afternoon, I filed a lawsuit for copyright infringement against Justin Bieber and the other responsible parties."

The post went on to say that Dienel had previously asked Bieber to stop using the sample for the single, which was released in October of 2015, but that he ignored her. The lawsuit named the song's writers, including Skrillex who produced the track, as defendants. Casey is asking for a cease and desist as well as compensation for use of the track.

Listen to both tracks below.