Miley Cyrus Denies Bruno Mars Song Plagiarism Allegations and Files to Dismiss 'Flowers' Copyright Lawsuit

Mar. 15, 2025

Bruno Mars in November 2021; Miley Cyrus in December 2022.Photo:John Esparza via Getty; Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty

John Esparza via Getty; Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty

Miley Cyrushas denied allegations of plagiarization and has filed to dismiss the copyright lawsuit surrounding her hit single “Flowers.”

Miley Cyrus in February 2024.Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

Because of that distinction, Cyrus' attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, which PEOPLE has reviewed, arguing that “only owners of exclusive rights may sue for copyright infringement” and “an assignee of only one co-author lacks exclusive rights and, therefore, also lacks standing to sue for infringement.”

Attorneys for Cyrus and Tempo have not yet responded to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.

On Sept. 16, Cyruswas initially suedin September over the similarities between her 2023 hit and “When I Was Your Man.”

“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,’ " the complaint read, adding that “Flowers” “duplicates numerous melodic, harmonic, and lyrical elements” of Mars' song.

“Accordingly, Plaintiff brings this action for copyright infringement arising out of Defendants' unauthorized reproduction, distribution and exploitation of ‘When I Was Your Man,’ " the document added.

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Bruno Mars in July 2022.Kevin Mazur/Getty

Kevin Mazur/Getty

Tempo Music Investments also included “Flowers” songwriters Gregory Hein and Michael Pollack — who wrote the track with theHannah Montanaalum — among multiple defendants, along with Sony Music Publishing and Apple. Mars, 38, was not named as a plaintiff in the filing.

The complaint also claimed that “the opening vocal line from the chorus of ‘Flowers’ begins and ends on the same chords as the opening vocal line in the verse of ‘When I Was Your Man.’ "

In the suit, Tempo Music Investments requested the defendants listed stop reproducing, distributing or publicly performing “Flowers.” They were also seeking an undetermined amount of damages.

At the time, reps for Cyrus and Mars did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

source: people.com