Songwriters Olmo Zucca and Jackson LoMastro have filed a lawsuit in California against South African singer Tyla and her producer Sammy SoSo Awuku, alleging unfair royalty allocation for their contributions to the global hit song Water.
Zucca and LoMastro claim they are co-composers and co-authors of the track and should receive 12.5% in royalties, but were only allocated 10% each by Awuku. They argue that standard industry practice entitles each producer to an equal share of the 50% publishing rights, but Awuku allegedly took 15% for himself, leaving them with a reduced portion.
The lawsuit names Tyla, Awuku, and Epic Records—the label that released and distributed Water—as defendants. Court filings reveal that the plaintiffs attempted to negotiate with Awuku before the song’s release in July 2023, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
According to the complaint, a recording session for Water took place between March 8-9, 2023, in Los Angeles, involving four producers: Zucca, LoMastro, Goufar, and Awuku. The plaintiffs assert that they produced key audio elements used in the final version of the track and that all four producers contributed equally and should receive equal producer credit and royalties.
Since its release, Water has been a global phenomenon, winning the first-ever Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance and several other honors, including the VMAs, EMAs, BET Awards, and AMAs. It also became the first song by an African female artist to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify and has amassed over 303 million YouTube views.
With Water’s massive success, the legal battle over royalties could have significant financial and industry implications. Neither Tyla, her team, nor Epic Records has publicly responded to the lawsuit at this time.
