Ed Sheeran was deeply affected by the legal battle over his song “Shape of You”. A verdict has now been passed.
The British singer and songwriter Ed Sheeran has prevailed in a copyright dispute over his song “Shape of You” in the London High Court.
Two artists had complained who, in their opinion, recognized parts of their song in the song and wanted a share of the proceeds from the Sheeran song. “Shape of You” stormed the charts in 2017 and was number one in Germany for 15 weeks.
However, the judge ruled that Sheeran “neither intentionally nor subconsciously” copied a line from the song by Sami Chokri, who performs under the name Sami Switch, and Ross O’Donoghue, released two years earlier.
Sheeran, who testified during the trial and even sang on the witness stand, said he was relieved by the decision. He addressed his fans in a short video via Instagram. “I hope that with this judgment, unfounded claims like this can be avoided in the future,” said the 31-year-old Briton.
He also made it clear that the allegations had affected him. “I am not a legal entity or corporation, I am a human being, I am a father, a husband and a son,” Sheeran continued. Legal disputes are not a pleasant affair. (dpa)