Did Justin Bieber steal from this musical artist? | The Tylt

Justin Bieber and Skrillex are being sued by indie artist White Hinterland over the beginning of their song "Sorry," according to TMZ. 

The song features a high-pitched female voice hitting a few notes in a loop. And if you listen to White Hinterland's 2014 song "Ring the Bell," you might understand the basis of the lawsuit. They aren't "identical" but Hinterland says 8 seconds of her song were sampled and used 6 times and that other elements of Bieber's "Sorry" are similar to her earlier release. Hinterland says she tried to reach out to Bieber to settle the issue, but reports now indicate she's taking it to the courts. 

As of writing this Bieber hasn't responded. But we can imagine a few defenses. First off: Sampling happens in music all the time. Without getting into the legal mumbo-jumbo of it all, everyone knows you can take from one song and turn it into an original hit. The emphasis is on "original." The sampler has to make it their own in some way. Famous artists have been sued in the past for similar copyright infringement, but most samples go off without a hitch. 

So, did Bieber overstep? If the lawsuit goes forward, will he be forced to cough up some cash?