Songwriter sues singer over ‘unpaid and uncredited’ songs

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Unpaid and uncredited, a well-known Bahraini songwriter has taken a popular singer to court over three songs she claims were used without payment.

She is demanding BD6,000 in compensation, BD2,000 per song, arguing the tracks were performed, broadcast and uploaded across platforms without her ever receiving a dinar.

Hearing

The civil court has begun hearing the case.

Two witnesses for the claimant testified that the singer owed money for the songs.

One was the manager of a composer who worked on the pieces. Both said there had been an understanding the songwriter would be paid.

A witness for the defence gave a slightly different picture.

She said the lyrics did in fact belong to the claimant, but claimed there had been no arrangement — verbal or written — for money to change hands.

The claimant, a songwriter with years of experience and a track record of popular works, told the court she had passed the songs on to the defendant some time ago.

The singer, who has released multiple albums, later performed them on television and at concerts in and outside Bahrain.

The lyrics were put to music and used in shows and social media posts.

In each case, the singer credited the songwriter by name. That, the claimant says, is enough to prove her rights were recognised.