Dua Lipa filed a $15 million lawsuit against Samsung Electronics in California federal court on May 8, 2026, accusing the company of using a copyrighted photograph on its television packaging without permission [1, 2]. The image, titled "Dua Lipa - Backstage at Austin City Limits, 2024," was taken backstage at the 2024 Austin City Limits Festival in Austin, Texas [2]. Samsung began using the photo on retail TV boxes and streaming content in 2025, having obtained it from a third-party content partner [2].
Samsung stated the content partner assured them they had the rights to use the image, including for packaging. The company denied any intentional misuse of Dua Lipa's likeness and expressed a desire for a constructive resolution with her team [1, 2]. In contrast, Dua Lipa's legal team said repeated demands for Samsung to stop using the photo without authorization were ignored [2]. They also alleged that the image caused consumer confusion, leading some fans to buy the televisions because of her appearance on the boxes [1].
Dua Lipa is described in court filings as a globally successful artist with a carefully curated brand identity that includes collaborations with luxury and tech brands [2]. Her legal team argues Samsung's unauthorized use infringes on her trademark and harms her brand [2]. Samsung, however, insists the content partner had explicit permission, laying responsibility for any misuse with the third party [1, 2].
The dispute centers on whether Samsung had actual authorization to use the photograph and whether it knowingly ignored requests to cease usage [1, 2]. The lawsuit seeks damages totaling $15 million for the alleged copyright infringement [1, 2].
The next legal step will be the court's response to the filing. Samsung's public denial was issued on May 13, 2026, shortly after the lawsuit was made public [2]. The case now moves into the discovery and pre-trial phase.
