By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@GettyImages.
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, known mononymously as Adele, has been accused of plagiarism as a Brazilian judge orders one of her song Million Years Ago to be pulled from streaming services worldwide.
The decision comes after a lawsuit was filed by Brazilian composer Toninho Geraes.
Geraes, 62, claims Adele’s 2015 song, which features on her hit album 25, plagiarised the music of his samba classic Mulheres (Women), recorded by Brazilian singer Martinho da Vila on a 1995 hit album.
The preliminary injunction by Brazilian judge Victor Torres in Rio de Janeiro’s sixth commercial court on Friday, was made in relation to Adele’s 2015 track Million Years Ago, which a composer claims plagiarises the song Mulheres (Women), recorded by Brazilian singer Martinho da Vila in 1995.
The plagiarism case, which was brought in 2021 is ongoing, but the injunction demands the song be pulled while it continues.
The injunction, according to reports citing global news agency AFP, orders the record labels to stop “immediately and globally, from using, reproducing, editing, distributing or commercializing the song Million Years Ago, by any modality, means, physical or digital support, streaming or sharing platform”.
It threatens the Brazilian subsidiaries of Sony and Universal, the British pop star’s labels, with a fine of $8,000 (£6,300) “per act of non-compliance”, the reports say.
Geraes’ lawyer, Fredimio Trotta, called the ruling a “game-changer” for Brazilian music. He claims it has often been milked for international fame without proper credit.
Geraes is suing for lost royalties, $160 000 in moral damages, plus songwriting credit on Adele’s track.