Shakira did not commit plagiarism, says Spanish court

Agency report

Colombian superstars Shakira and Carlos Vives have been cleared of allegation of plagiarizing part of their Grammy award-winning hit “La Bicicleta.”

The clearance was given this Thursday by a Spanish court. Livan Rafael Castellanos, a Cuban singer known as Livam, had alleged that the catchy tune copied parts of the melody and lyrics from his own song called “Yo te quiero tanto” (I love you so much).

“There is no plagiarism whatsoever as claimed by the plaintiff in this lawsuit,” the commercial court said in its ruling.

Music publisher MDRB had filed a complaint in 2017 in the Madrid court on behalf of Livam. In March, Shakira, 42, who lives in Barcelona, told the court she had “never heard” Livam’s song before.

Vives, 57, also said he did not know the song or Livam. “La Bicicleta” — or “The Bicycle” in English — won two of the three biggest Grammy Latino awards for 2016, including song and record of the year.

In the song Shakira and Vives sing “que te sueno y que te quiero tanto” (I dream of you and love you so much), while Livam says “yo te quiero, yo te quiero tanto” (I love you, I love you so much).

But the court ruled that the expression was “common, used in all sorts of songs and lyrics, all through history”

According to the court, the melody, rhythm and harmony were different in both songs.