GRC Trust Files Copyright Lawsuit Against Lizzo Over Unreleased Song Sample

A fresh legal battle kicked off when GRC Trust hit Lizzo with a copyright suit in California court. The Oct. 21, 2025 filing centers on a brief social media clip that samples the 1970s track "Win or Lose (We Tried)" and mentions actress Sydney Sweeney.

"We are surprised that The GRC Trust filed this lawsuit," said Lizzo's representative to BBC. "To be clear, the song has never been commercially released or monetized, and no decision has been made at this time regarding any future commercial release of the song."

The disputed clip surfaced on social media last August. Fans spotted Lizzo washing a car while singing what they called "I'm Goin' In Till October" or "Good Jeans" —  a playful take on Sweeney's American Eagle ad campaign. The 13-second snippet sparked instant buzz online.

Court papers claim the star and Atlantic Records pulled in cash they wouldn't have made without stepping on the original song's rights. GRC Trust wants both money and a block on any future sharing of the track.

Before taking legal steps, the trust's legal team tried talking it out. BBC reported that "the parties attempted informal resolution of the dispute but reached an impasse, necessitating the filing of this case."

The singer's past includes other copyright tangles. Back in 2019, she faced claims from three producers over "Truth Hurts." They said she borrowed from their song "Healthy." That fight wrapped up quietly in 2022 with both sides striking a deal.

The story took another turn when writer Mina Lioness earned credit on "Truth Hurts." She'd pointed out her viral tweet —  "I just took a DNA test, turns out I'm 100% that b*tch" — made its way into the hit song.

Meanwhile, GRC Trust has its sights on Kanye West, too. They've filed separate papers about his use of another Sam Dees sample in "Lord Lift Me Up." That case heads to court Nov. 19, 2025.