Alice Merton takes legal action against Kanye West for unauthorized sampling

In the United States, singer Alice Merton filed a lawsuit against Kanye West in federal court, alleging that he sampled her song without obtaining the necessary permissions. The lawsuit was submitted on March 26, 2025, and Merton stated that she felt 'shocked and humiliated' when she discovered the sample had been used in West's song, 'Gun To My Head.' Previously, she had refused West's request to clear the sample mainly due to his comments that have been characterized as antisemitic and racist. Merton had become aware of the sampling only when West performed the track in December 2023. The song was originally intended to be part of his album 'Vultures 1,' released in February 2024, but was ultimately included as a bonus track on 'Vultures 2.' This situation escalated tensions between Merton and West’s fans, who directed their outrage towards her for not agreeing to the sample clearance, despite her disapproval being rooted in his troubling comments. This lawsuit is not the first legal challenge West has faced regarding the unauthorized use of samples in his music, as he has a history of similar accusations in recent years. Merton, a German artist who rose to fame with her hit 'No Roots' in 2017, has expressed her frustration with not just the sampling issue but also the way West's behavior has reflected in the music industry, forcing artists to navigate difficult moral choices regarding collaborations and their implications, especially in light of the controversies surrounding West. The ongoing situation poses questions about the boundaries of artistic collaboration in an era where social accountability is gaining more prominence.