Songwriters Olmo Zucca and Jackson LoMastro have filed a lawsuit in California against South African singer Tyla and her producer Sammy SoSo Awuku over royalty disputes related to the hit song Water. The plaintiffs claim they are co-composers and co-authors of the track and are entitled to 12.5% in royalties rather than the 10% allocated by Awuku.
Tyla, Awuku, and the song’s label, Epic Records, are all named in the suit. Court filings allege that Awuku took 15% of the publishing rights, while Zucca, LoMastro, and another contributor, Goufar, received only 10% each. The plaintiffs argue that industry standards dictate each producer should receive an equal share of the 50% publishing rights.
Zucca and LoMastro claim they initially attempted to negotiate with Awuku in July 2023 before the song’s release, but he refused. They assert that they contributed significantly to the song’s production during a March 2023 recording session in Los Angeles and should receive equal credit and royalties.
Tyla’s Water has been a global success, winning the inaugural Grammy for Best African Music Performance and multiple other awards, while surpassing 1 billion Spotify streams and 303 million YouTube views.
