South African global breakout star Tyla and her producer Sammy SoSo Awuku are facing a lawsuit in California over the royalties for her Grammy-winning hit single ‘Water’.
Songwriters Olmo Zucca and Jackson LoMastro have filed a legal complaint claiming they were underpaid for their contribution to the track. According to court documents, the plaintiffs assert that they are co-authors and co-composers of ‘Water’ and should have received 12.5% of the publishing royalties each, rather than the 10% they say they were allocated by Awuku.
Also named in the suit are Tyla herself and Epic Records, the label behind the release and distribution of the song.
The dispute reportedly dates back to March 2023, when a recording session took place in Los Angeles involving four producers: Zucca, LoMastro, Goufar, and Awuku. Zucca and LoMastro claim they provided several audio files used in the final version of ‘Water’, and argue that all four producers made equal contributions and should therefore receive equal royalty splits and full top-line production credits.
The plaintiffs say they attempted to settle the matter with Awuku before the song’s release in July 2023, but negotiations fell through. Their filing alleges that Awuku instead allocated 15% of the publishing royalties to himself, while the remaining shares were split as follows: 10% each to Zucca, LoMastro, and Goufar, and 5% to veteran producer Christopher “Tricky” Stewart.
‘Water’ has since become a global smash, earning Tyla multiple international awards, including a Grammy for Best African Music Performance, MTV VMAs, BET Awards, and American Music Awards. It’s also the first song by an African female solo artist to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify, with an additional 303 million views on YouTube.
As the legal drama unfolds, Tyla remains a central figure in the ongoing evolution of African pop music on the world stage.
