Producers Sue Grammy Winner Tyla Over Viral Hit “Water” Royalties
Producers Sue Grammy Winner Tyla Over Viral Hit “Water” Royalties- A legal storm is brewing around Grammy-winning artist Sammy Soso known as Tyla and her chart-topping single “Water”, as producers Olmo Zucca and Jackson LoMastro have filed a lawsuit in California demanding compensation and proper credit for their contributions to the hit track.
The two producers allege that they were instrumental in shaping the song during a collaborative studio session in Los Angeles back in March 2023.
According to court documents, Zucca and LoMastro worked alongside fellow creatives Rayan El-Hussein Goufar (professionally known as Rayo) and Awuku during the song’s development—but were later sidelined in both recognition and royalties.
At the center of the dispute is what the plaintiffs call an unfair and disproportionate division of publishing rights.
They claim that Awuku allocated himself a generous 15% share of the royalties while assigning only 10% each to Zucca, LoMastro, and Goufar, and giving producer Christopher “Tricky” Stewart a mere 5%. Industry norms, they argue, dictate equal splits among co-writers and collaborators.
Adding to the controversy, Zucca and LoMastro accuse Awuku of positioning himself as the sole producer on the record, allegedly engaging in private financial dealings with Tyla and her team that left them out of the earnings and denied them official credit.
The pair insist they were not just support players but creative equals who deserve to be recognized as principal producers.
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Attempts to resolve the matter amicably reportedly broke down in July 2023 after Awuku allegedly avoided genuine negotiations.
With “Water” surpassing a billion streams on Spotify and earning global acclaim—including a Grammy—Zucca and LoMastro are now turning to the court to rectify what they describe as serious financial and reputational damage.
They are seeking not only acknowledgment and credit but also 12.5% shares in publishing royalties, appropriate master royalties, SoundExchange performance payments, and compensation for missed opportunities and harm to their professional standing.
