Miley Cyrus can buy herself flowers… and a lawyer, which the pop star now needs after she was sued for allegedly copying Bruno Mars in her 2023 hit “Flowers.”
Cyrus, 31, was sued for copyright infringement Monday by Tempo Music Investments, which now owns a copyright share in Mars’ 2013 song, “When I Was Your Man.” The singer, born Peter Gene Hernandez, is not listed as a plaintiff, according to the court documents obtained by People.
“It is undeniable 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 that many people have “recognized the striking similarities” between the tracks.
“Flowers,” which debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for eight weeks, allegedly “duplicates numerous melodic, harmonic, and lyrical elements” of its predecessor.
As part of the suit, the company has called on Cyrus and her fellow defendants and “Flowers” songwriters Gregory Hein and Michael Pollack, to stop reproducing, distributing or publicly performing the Grammy-winning song, per People.
It’s unclear how much Tempo Music Investments is seeking in damages.
Believed to reference the demise of her marriage with ex-husband Liam Hemsworth, Cyrus’ “Flowers” spent 55 total weeks on the Billboard charts. The song earned Cyrus her first two Grammys, for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.
“When I Was Your Man,” meanwhile, topped the chart for one week and spent 35 total weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. Mars received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance with the song.
A lawyer for Cyrus did not immediately respond to the Daily News’ request for comment.