Chloe Bailey, who performs as a solo musician under the moniker Chlöe, is being sued by a songwriter who claims to not have been properly compensated for their work.
According to Billboard, Melvin “4rest” Moore is suing the R&B singer, Parkwood Entertainment, and Columbia Records for “copyright infringement, fraudulent misrepresentation, violations of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), civil conspiracy, and deceptive business practices.”
Moore claims the defendants “fail[ed] to appropriately credit or compensate” him for his contributions to “Favorite,” “Might As Well,” and “Same Lingerie” from the 26-year-old’s latest album Trouble In Paradise. The outlet reported the songs were written from Moore’s “personal and… lived experiences,” he “did not grant consent to the commercial exploitation of the [songs]” he wrote for Bailey, and he did not get an opportunity to “engage in good-faith negotiations.”
Moore is listed as a songwriter in the credits for “Same Lingerie” and “Might As Well” but not “Favorite,” per ASCAP and BMI’s Songview repertory according to Billboard.
Moore is asking for monetary damages up to $150,000 for each intentional violation; a court order to stop further commercial use of the songs; a complete investigation of Bailey, Parkwood, and Columbia’s revenue from unauthorized use of the songs; repayment of all profits gained from the songs; a requirement for defendants to publicly retract their claims and properly credit Moore; punitive damages of $5 million per song; and any additional relief the court finds appropriate.
Moore claims he attempted to resolve the issue before filing the lawsuit with “good-faith attempts” over “almost 200 days,” and issued a DCMA takedown notice, asking for the songs Moore worked on to be removed from the internet after the parties were unable to reach an agreement.
Chloe Bailey at the 56th NAACP Image Awards held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on February 22, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
“My journey as a songwriter has been one of immense struggle and perseverance. I’ve faced homelessness for two years, only to achieve homeownership 17 years later. These experiences have shaped my resilience. But even after overcoming these obstacles and achieving success, I find myself still fighting for basic fairness in how I am compensated for my work,” Moore said in part in a statement to Rolling Stone.
“Many songwriters, producers, and artists are routinely underpaid and mistreated, their talent exploited under the false promise of opportunity,” he added. “This cycle must end. It’s time for the industry to acknowledge the value of the creatives who bring the music to life and compensate them fairly. This fight is for all of us.”
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