Olivia Dean's 'I've Seen It' Hit With Copyright Claim Over Bill Withers' 'Just the Two of Us'

Mattie Music Group, the publisher that manages the catalogue of the late Bill Withers, filed a copyright infringement lawsuit on October 1, 2026, in federal court in Los Angeles, according to ReadDork and BM Magazine, which reviewed the filing. The suit alleges that British singer Olivia Dean's song "I've Seen It" copies protectable musical elements from "Just the Two of Us," the 1981 hit performed by saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. with Withers on vocals.

What the lawsuit alleges

According to the filing, Mattie Music Group hired musicologist Alexander Stewart to compare the two songs. Stewart reportedly concluded the tracks share "substantial similarities," including what the complaint calls "repeated copying" of a melody the plaintiff describes as distinctive and protectable, according to ReadDork, BM Magazine and Far Out Magazine.

Far Out Magazine reported that the filing separately describes the similarities as "obvious and inescapable." The publisher also states it notified the defendants of its concerns on August 17, 2026, but that the companies kept distributing and licensing the track afterward, per Far Out Magazine's account of the complaint.

Who is actually being sued

The defendants named are Capitol Records, Dean's label under Universal Music Group, along with Sony Music Publishing and Kobalt Music Publishing, which publishes Dean's co-writer Max Wolfgang. Olivia Dean is not named as a defendant, and neither are her co-writers Max Wolfgang and Bastian Langebæk, according to BM Magazine and ReadDork. No specific damages figure was disclosed in the reporting reviewed.

Representatives for Universal Music Group, Sony Music Publishing and Dean did not immediately respond to requests for comment cited in the coverage; Kobalt declined to comment, according to ReadDork and BM Magazine.

The song at the centre of the claim

"I've Seen It" is the closing track on Dean's second album, The Art of Loving, released in 2025, according to Far Out Magazine and BM Magazine. "Just the Two of Us" was written by Bill Withers, Ralph MacDonald and William Salter, first appearing on Washington's album Winelight in October 1980 before its release as a single in February 1981, according to its Wikipedia entry. The original reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and its writers won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song at the 24th Annual Grammy Awards.

Dean's standing at the time of the claim

At the time the suit was filed, Dean had already built significant recognition around The Art of Loving. She won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the ceremony held on February 2, 2026, according to a report by KCBD. BM Magazine separately describes The Art of Loving as a "Brit Award-winning" album, though it does not specify which award or how many.

What is known and unknown

What is established from the filing as reported: the date of the lawsuit (October 1, 2026), the court location (Los Angeles federal court), the plaintiff (Mattie Music Group), the named defendants (Capitol Records/UMG, Sony Music Publishing, Kobalt), and the central allegation of melodic similarity backed by a musicologist's report. What remains unconfirmed in the sources reviewed: any damages amount sought, a formal response filed by the defendants, and whether Dean's team has issued its own statement. The allegations are unproven and have not been tested in court.