The legal drama surrounding Dua Lipa's âLevitatingâ
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[People moving from winter to summer] Liam Eisenberg IN THIS ISSUE Mythbusting cannabis drinks An illuminating work discovery Dua Lipa's legal trouble Â
 Editor's Note Â
 Good morning. Today is the vernal equinox, one of two moments of the year when the Sun is exactly above the Equator. You probably know it better as the first day of spring. If thereâs one thing global humanity can agree upon, itâs that when spring arrives, itâs time to party. This itch to celebrate is almost certainly tied to our ancient ancestorsâ relief that winter was fading and plant life would bloom once again. Many spring festivals around the world are tied to that concept of renewal. Nowruz, or the Persian New Year, has been held on the first day of spring for more than 3,000 years. In one of the quirkier traditions, locals in the Bosnian city of Zenica mark the vernal equinox by scrambling 1,500 eggs (eggs symbolizing the renewal of life). In other cultures, the arrival of spring is an opportunity to ditch your inhibitions and let loose. A main feature of Holi, the ancient Hindu festival that was celebrated last week, is getting covered head-to-toe in paint. Thailand marks the Thai New Year in April by staging a massive water fight. And so, if youâre headed out on Spring Break right now, know that youâre playing your part in sustaining one of humanityâs longest-standing rituals. Just keep it classy. âNeal Freyman  CULTURE  [Stock watch](
[Stock watch image]( mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20Morning%20Brew%21&body=Stock%20watch%3A%20utm_campaign%3Dmb%26utm_medium%3Dnewsletter%26utm_source%3Dmorning_brew%0A%0AWant%20more%20great%20content%3F%20Subscribe%20to%20Daily%20Brew%20%E2%80%94%20Delivering%20the%20latest%20business%20news%20from%20Wall%20St.%20to%20Silicon%20Valley%2C%20daily.%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.morningbrew.com%2Fdaily%2Fr%2F%3Fkid%3Da905682a%26utm_source%3Demail_share%0A Â Q&A Â [Icebreakers with...two entrepreneurs betting on cannabis beverages](
[[Cann cofounders]Cann]( [Cann]( is shelved at the intersection of two booming trends: sober-curiosity and seltzer. The beverage startupâs flagship product is a low-dose cannabis seltzer that âgets you a little bit highâa very mild sort of light, floaty head feeling that's engaging and social,â co-founder Jake Bullock told us. Its second beverage, Unspiked, is alcohol-free, intended for anyone who wants to skip the buzz altogether. We spoke with Bullock and co-founder Luke Anderson about their buzzy drinks. Are there any myths about cannabis that bug you? Luke: There are two that really bother me. One is that itâs just for stoners. Despite more states legalizing cannabis and it being more socially accepted, thereâs still this difficult first step of going to actually purchase it and incorporate it in your routine that people report makes them feel like they're doing something illicit. We are trying to package up the product and use flavors and ingredients that are more aligned with what you see in a traditional retail beverage to try to break that down. And unfortunately, I think hemp rebranding itself as CBD, and then a huge wave of CBD beverages getting sold in grocery stores a few years ago, created this bizarre stereotype that hemp drinks are cannabis beverages. Weâre still battling that consumer education burden on both the cannabis and the non-cannabis side, because so many people bought CBD drinks and then subsequently became tired of them. So, in short, cannabis: Itâs not just for stoners, and no, itâs not CBD either. Do CBD products do something? Luke: Itâs the âsomethingâ that is really up for debate. Like spirulina smoothies do âsomething,â goji berries do âsomething.â But itâs like, âWill you feel a palpable impact from consuming a CBD beverage?â And Jake and I say no. But also if you take a sugar pill, sometimes you do get a little better, and we have to remember that the placebo effect does work. The power of positive thinking and consuming something often impacts how good you feel. Do you guys foresee a future where cannabis beverages are sold in bars, sports stadiums, etc.? Luke: Yes, yes! We want to build that future. We think that there are over-the-counter versions of alcohol, like beer and wine, that are more accessible because they are less strong. And for some reason, cannabis, itâs all the same. If itâs 100 milligrams or a concentrated dab, you have the same access to it as you do a two-milligram THC beverage, which is so much less harmful than a beer. We believe that right next to hard kombucha one day, youâll see Canns. Thatâs like the quintessential story where someoneâs first and only cannabis experience is when they eat an entire brownie. Luke: We also talk about the bad pot brownie experience so much, and it is that thing that makes somebody say, âNever again.â But if Everclear were the only way to get alcohol, we would all have bad Everclear experiences and weâd probably be done with alcohol. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20Morning%20Brew%21&body=Icebreakers%20with...two%20entrepreneurs%20betting%20on%20cannabis%20beverages%3A%20utm_campaign%3Dmb%26utm_medium%3Dnewsletter%26utm_source%3Dmorning_brew%0A%0AWant%20more%20great%20content%3F%20Subscribe%20to%20Daily%20Brew%20%E2%80%94%20Delivering%20the%20latest%20business%20news%20from%20Wall%20St.%20to%20Silicon%20Valley%2C%20daily.%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.morningbrew.com%2Fdaily%2Fr%2F%3Fkid%3Da905682a%26utm_source%3Demail_share%0A Â TOGETHER WITH APPLE CARD Cash money. In your wallet. On the daily. [Apple Card]( This is not a drill. With Apple Cardâs Daily Cash, you get [real cash back](âup to 3%âon any purchase you make no matter what you buy, every day. No need to redeem points or wonder where your moneyâs at. [Anyone you call family]( age 13 and up can benefit from Daily Cash, and everyone on the account gets their own cash back on their own spending. So you and your crew can rack it up . Skeptical about such a great deal? Donât be. There are [zero fees]( with Apple Cardâno annual, foreign transaction, late, over-the-limit, or jump-out-from-the-bushes fees. It even makes it easy to [understand your interest]( and encourages you to pay less of it, so more money stays in your pocket. So go ahead and reboot your credit card. [Apply now without impacting your credit score](. Terms apply. Â WORK LIFE Â [How should you handle a surprising work discovery?](
[Make it work image ]( Each week, our workplace whisperer Shane Loughnane answers a reader-submitted question about problems at work. I came across a spreadsheet that had the annual raises and salaries for some of my co-workers. While Iâm genuinely happy for them, I noticed that I am $20kâ30k behind everyone on the list. I am younger, and I know that my salary wonât be quite as high as some of my more experienced colleagues. However, I am debating bringing this up in a performance review, as I honestly feel that I do a good job for my company. Thoughts?âG. in OKC As I brood in the afterglow of a March Madness bracket set ablaze, itâs nice to see a potentially distressing situation handled with some grace and perspective. And, if youâll allow me to further encourage your pragmatic outlook, who needs another $20kâ30k of taxable income to deal with this time of year? Without knowing how exactly you came across this data, itâs difficult to gauge whether addressing your discovery (in a performance review or sooner) is a good idea. If there is risk in others happening upon it, for example, your boss or HR may appreciate knowing that itâs public. Doing this (now) also quietly signals that youâre likely aware of your pay relative to your peers, which may benefit you (later) during salary discussions. On the other hand, if you have reservations about how the news might be received, Iâd probably just keep it under my hatâafter all, the real power in this information is simply that you possess it. Which brings us to your performance review, where you should always be proactively discussing your salary goals. Pay discrepancies happen for a variety of reasonsâone of the most common is that certain folks advocate for themselves more consistently. While you donât have to divulge all of your secrets, your knowing your companyâs apparent ceiling allows you to set your expectations more confidently. Bring those performance stats and research your fair market value; if itâs more in line with what you know your co-workers are making, thatâs reason enough to ask to be compensated closer to their level, regardless of age or experience. And if itâs notâ¦Iâd ask anyway. The only thing you have to lose is more tax dollars. If you have an issue at your workplace, [share your concerns]( and maybe weâll reply to you in a future Brew. mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20Morning%20Brew%21&body=How%20should%20you%20handle%20a%20surprising%20work%20discovery%3F%3A%20utm_campaign%3Dmb%26utm_medium%3Dnewsletter%26utm_source%3Dmorning_brew%0A%0AWant%20more%20great%20content%3F%20Subscribe%20to%20Daily%20Brew%20%E2%80%94%20Delivering%20the%20latest%20business%20news%20from%20Wall%20St.%20to%20Silicon%20Valley%2C%20daily.%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.morningbrew.com%2Fdaily%2Fr%2F%3Fkid%3Da905682a%26utm_source%3Demail_share%0A  ANALYSIS  [Levitating through the drama of Dua Lipaâs copyright cases](
[[Dua Lipa performing onstage in her Future Nostalgia tour]Jason Koerner/Getty Images]( Dua Lipa may currently be selling out stadiums on a 28-country tour, but her biggest songâ2020âs âLevitatingââruns the risk of ruining her summer. The pop star was hit with two high-profile lawsuits this month from artists who claim âLevitatingâ ripped off their songs. While copyright infringement in music is a contentious issue thatâs often difficult to prove, allegations are more common than youâd think. Accusations of song theft have been levied against dozens of major artists and hit songs throughout the years. Plus, itâs why Chiliâs had to create a bizarre clap chant for all the waiters to soullessly perform for you on your tenth birthday instead of singing the actual song. Whoâs suing who: The first lawsuit against Lipa, from Florida reggae group Artikal Sound System, alleges that she copied a portion of their 2017 song, âLive Your Life.â The second complaint, from songwriters L. Russell Brown and Sandy Linzer, takes things back a bit further by accusing Lipa of ripping off their â70s disco track âWiggle and Giggle All Night.â Dua Lipaâs not the only major artist being sued at the moment, either. Ed Sheeran is in a legal battle with songwriters Sami Chokri and Ross O'Donoghue, who allege that Sheeran's âShape of Youâ ripped off Chokriâs âOh Why.â - These issues donât always end in court, though. In August, Olivia Rodrigo retroactively added members of the band Paramore to the credits of her chart-topping hit âGood 4 Uâ after its similarities to Paramoreâs 2007 song âMisery Businessâ were highlighted online. Lipaâs case may not end so peacefully. In the case of âLevitatingâ and âLive Your Life,â both songs are in the key of B minor and share essentially the same chord progression. Several [viral]( [videos]( have highlighted just how similar the songs are at some points. But two songs sounding alikeâeven exceptionally alikeâis only a fraction of the evidence required to prove a copyright violation in music. How to build a copyright case To prove copyright infringement, claimants have to prove that the defendant could reasonably have listened to their songâitâd be hard to copy it otherwise. âLive Your Lifeâ isnât on Spotify and, as of March 2, only had 34,000 plays on SoundCloud (it now has about 10x that). But, it did reach No. 2 on Billboardâs reggae charts. The writers behind âWiggle and Giggle All Nightâ point to interviews in which Lipa makes vague statements about emulating prior eras and taking inspiration from the past. After all, she named the album Future Nostalgia. Claimants also have to demonstrate that the song theyâre accusing someone of copying is itself original. Experts say the rhythm of all the songs involved in the Dua Lipa lawsuits can be found in music by Jackson 5 and Outkast, among others. In other words, it may just be too common to prove deliberate, specific infringement. Zoom out: Given the heat in this debate, with musicology experts winding up on both sides, itâs clear that the line between inspiration and plagiarism is somewhat blurred and subjective. Itâll be up to the jury to determine what the sincerest form of flattery is.âMK mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20Morning%20Brew%21&body=Levitating%20through%20the%20drama%20of%20Dua%20Lipa%E2%80%99s%20copyright%20cases%3A%20utm_campaign%3Dmb%26utm_medium%3Dnewsletter%26utm_source%3Dmorning_brew%0A%0AWant%20more%20great%20content%3F%20Subscribe%20to%20Daily%20Brew%20%E2%80%94%20Delivering%20the%20latest%20business%20news%20from%20Wall%20St.%20to%20Silicon%20Valley%2C%20daily.%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.morningbrew.com%2Fdaily%2Fr%2F%3Fkid%3Da905682a%26utm_source%3Demail_share%0A  TOGETHER WITH ASPCA® PET HEALTH INSURANCE [ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance]( Protect your furry friend and your wallet. Your pet is a treasured family member. But when sickness or injury strikes, the cost of treatment can quickly become overwhelming. With coverage from the ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance program, you can have peace of mind knowing you can seek high-quality vet care whenever your four-legged pal needs it. [Learn more today](.  REAL ESTATE  [Open house]( Welcome to Open House, the only newsletter section that wants you to have a crystal-studded SXSW afterparty. Weâll give you a few facts about a listing and you try to guess the price. [Mansion in Austin, TX suburb.]Zillow Todayâs [mansion]( in the suburbs of Austin, TX, has 30-foot tall ceilings and way too many fountains. But surprisingly for the Lone Star State, this mansion is less âyeehawâ and more âye-s, I am lost in this 13,037 square-foot compound.â Amenities include: - 6 beds, 8 baths
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- Six months in, El Salvador's bitcoin gamble is crumbling. ([Rest of World]() Say no to filling oceans and yes to filling your closet with comfortable, stylish, and sustainably made clothes from State of Matter. And while youâre at it, say yes to 15% off your first purchase [with code brew15](.* *This is sponsored advertising content.  CONTEST  [Meme competition](#) Welcome back to Morning Brewâs Meme Competition, where we crown a single memelord every Sunday. Todayâs winner: Alex from Lansing, MI, wins for making us cry. [Meme contest winner with the character saying "your grandma loves you" ] This weekâs challenge: You can find the [new template here]( for next Sunday. Once youâre done making your meme, [submit it at this link for consideration](.  ANSWER  # $6.45 million  â³ï¸ A Note From ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance Pre-existing conditions are not covered. Waiting periods, annual deductible, co-insurance, benefit limits and exclusions may apply. For all terms and conditions visit [www.aspcapetinsurance.com/terms](. Products, schedules, discounts, and rates may vary and are subject to change. More information available at checkout. The ASPCA® is not an insurer and is not engaged in the business of insurance. Products are underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company (NAIC #21113. Morristown, NJ), produced and administered by [C&F Insurance Agency, Inc](. (NPN # 3974227), a Crum & Forster company. Through a licensing agreement, the ASPCA receives a royalty fee that is in exchange for use of the ASPCAâs marks and is not a charitable contribution. Written by [Neal Freyman](, [Matty Merritt](, [Max Knoblauch](, and Shane Loughnane Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up [here]( WANT MORE BREW? Industry news, with a sense of humor â - [Emerging Tech Brew](: AI, crypto, space, autonomous vehicles, and more
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