Dua Lipa v Samsung: singer sues the brand for exploiting her image

Dua Lipa has just launched a new legal battle against Samsung, and the case is already causing quite a stir. According to the lawsuit filed with the US District Court for the Central District of California, the British singer accuses the company of using a photograph of her — taken during her performance at Austin City Limits — on the packaging of televisions sold since 2025, all without prior authorisation. The artist claims she attempted to resolve the matter privately by requesting the removal of the image, but Samsung reportedly rejected the request, leading her to take the dispute directly to court.

The case is not solely about a single photograph; Dua Lipa’s legal team argues that the artist has carefully crafted a public image and is highly selective about the brands with which she associates. The lawsuit argues that Samsung commercially exploited her likeness as part of a global consumer campaign without offering her any control over the use of her image. The singer is claiming $15 million and cites several infringements, including violation of her right of publicity, misuse of her personal brand, and claims under the US Lanham Act.

One of the most striking aspects of the court document is the evidence provided regarding the campaign’s commercial impact. The lawsuit includes screenshots of posts from fans claiming to have bought the television solely because they saw Dua Lipa on the box. Comments such as ‘I wasn’t even planning to buy a television, but I saw Dua and bought it’ form part of the examples presented to demonstrate the artist’s alleged advertising value.

So far, Samsung has not commented publicly on the case, nor has Dua Lipa shared any statements on her social media. Even so, the case is already causing quite a stir within the music industry and among the tech giants.

Dua Lipa stars in the launch of ‘Libre Berry Crush’, the new fragrance from YSL Beauty.